Quest for the Keyblade
by Chaotic Freakatroid
Summary: Chapters 1 thru 8 are up. It has been two hundred years since Sora first locked Kingdom Hearts. Now, there is a tournament of sorts being held in Olympus Coliseum, to determine who shall be the next Keyblade wielder.
1. Test One: Summons

Quest for the Keyblade

Test One: Summons

Arianna Black's POV

_I looked around and sighed silently. Another damn dream! I had begun, over the past two or three years, begun to absolutely hate and love dreaming._

_I was in a place that this time I did not recognize. It was lush, with marble palaces scattered about and clear crystal blue waterfalls and streams. Everything somehow glittered. Everything somehow seemed poisonous. I walked around, finding nothing and no one, which annoyed me, and I walked into one of the building, hoping to find some clue of where I was - no such luck._

_With a mutter, I sat back on a bench, rather pissed-off, and I began drilling my fingers into my arm, wondering when I was going to wake up, happy that this wasn't one of the dreams where I couldn't discern reality from fantasy._

_I began to nod off, and suddenly _I opened my eyes.

As soon as I opened my eyes, I cursed. I had expected to see my ceiling - not stars that were unfamiliar.

I sat up with a sigh, and look around, and froze, looking down at the cold, hard surface of which I lay on - it was water like at home in Hollow Bastion. I looked up and in front of me about a hundred yards away, I saw a stone circle with what looked like a miniature galaxy spinning around it and within it. Looking back, I saw a stone structure that reminded me of a gateway.

"Just great..." I muttered, standing up and brushing non-existent dust off of my black leather pants, red velvet corset shirt and long black trench coat, "I had to sleep walk _here_ didn't I? Figures. How the hell did I change while asleep...?"

I had realized - and only thanks to my great-great grandfather, Ansem, was it that I could recognize this place - that this was "End of the World" as he had called it.

I heard a familiar sound behind me, and turned slightly to see a Wyvern Heartless appear out of a dark portal.

"Did Aki send you to find me?" I asked, looking at the familiar Heartless and it nuzzled me with its beak, "And you actually listened to her for once? Amazing..."

I looked around, wondering how I was going to get myself out of this one, when the Wyvern flew towards the stone circle and flew into it. With a sigh, I followed.

We walked for a long time through strange terrains, and every once and a while I saw other Heartless, but I didn't mind. Most fled, others followed a while before loosing interest in me and disappearing to elsewhere.

After a long while, we reached a small room with an ornate white door. I grabbed the door handles and pulled, yanked, tugged, pushed, shoved, slammed at the door, and kicked it, causing myself to hop around like an idiot, and finally cursed, and glared at the door.

"I hate doors that will not open." I muttered flopping down on my rear end in the stone-like stuff that made the floor, and prodded a rock, annoyed, then I looked at the Wyvern who was perched next to me, "Any ideas how to get out of here? Me neither."

I sighed and closed my eyes, trying to think. My head was all foggy for some reason, so I was having a bit of a hard time. I don't know how long I sat there _trying_ to think, but it was a while, and finally, I opened my eyes.

One problem. The only reason I opened my eyes was because suddenly a dagger-sharp pain had shot through the whole of my body, making my cry out, and double over.

I should have been used to this by now, since it had been happening for years, but it had never come without warning before. Usually I felt immense thirst and hunger, and _then_ the pain would start. Not all of a sudden just _pain_.

The pain worsened and I doubled over on my hands and knees, shaking violently, sweat pouring off of me.

Then the most terrible pain I had ever felt began.

I felt as if the skin along my lower right cheek, down all the way from there, to the bottom of my right foot, was being ripped apart. I felt two places around my shoulder blades rip into agony, and felt as if something large was being yanked through the openings.

Next, a lacework of patterned pain began on my left side - starting on the left side of my nose, down to my left foot.

The ground rushed up to me and suddenly I fainted.

Aki Yuichi Shindou's POV

I _really_ wished that blasted Wyvern would hurry up and bring Ari back! I was, again, lost amongst the Waterway in Arianna's castle.

I had been swimming in the water, since I had figured out how to actually get _into_ the water, and had gone and gotten somewhere I didn't recognize.

_Ari must have gone really far..._ I thought, pacing a long, narrow wall, _She'd better not be having another one of her "Is this reality or fantasy" spells..._

I heard a thud, and whirled around to see the Wyvern, dragging a very unconscious..._Arianna!_

I prodded Ari with a foot and she didn't budge and I gulped. If she had gone into one of her comatose states again, I was going to kill something.

Suddenly all the new features to Ari disappeared, and her eyes snapped open, and I yelped, jumping back as her eyes flashed red with slitted pupils, then went back to their normal bright green-blue.

"What the-?" started Ari, looking around, "What a dream..." She _yawned_. "Oh, hi, Aki."

**"Hi! Hi!"** I yelled, waving my fists around in the air, **"You were sleep/world walking again! Plus! What happened to you! When you came you had wings and scales!"**

"Did I?" asked Arianna blankly, a thoroughly blank look on her face, "Well, fancy that... I think its time to take a nap- Wings and scales!" she yelled all of a sudden, jumping to her feet, and I rolled my eyes - how typical.

"_Yeah_." I said sarcastically, **"What did you think I said! Fur!"**

Ari looked around, muttering to herself as usual, then noticed where we were.

"Are you _stuck_?" asked Arianna slyly, her eyes sliding over towards me, a twisted smirk on her lips.

**"Yes!" **I yelled, and Arianna began laughing hysterically.

"Oh. My. God!" she choked, grinning, "You've been by here a _million_ times before!" She walked over to a wall, touched a carving and a door appeared, showing one of the lifts from the Lift Stop, and Arianna walked onto it, "So, any particular reason you sent the Wyvern after me this time? Beside the fact you were _lost_?"

"Yeah." I replied, "We got two really strange invitations. They're in your Library."

We got out of the Lift Stop and walked into the Entrance Hall, Arianna ignoring the Heartless that appeared there, and my skirting around the Heartless, eyeing them warily.

"Come on, hurry up!" called Arianna, pivoting on one foot to face me, "You never know, if you lag too far away, they might attack!"

She winked, grinned, pivoted away, and continued walking, and I ran to catch up, nearly running into her back.

"Whoa, girl." said Arianna as if she were talking to a horse, then grinned slyly, and walked into the Library.

_Dear Arianna Jade Black, and Aki Yuichi Shindou,_

_This is a formal invite to bring the two of you together to the Olympus Coliseum to compete in what we call the Quests for the Keyblade. You and others are being gathered to Traverse Town to await transportation to the Coliseum. We wish for the two of you to come along and see if your hearts are strong enough to allow you to wield the Keyblade._

_You must arrive in Traverse Town on October the twenty-eighth. We can't _wait_ to see you._

Sincerely,

_Quest Official_

"They have got to be kidding." said Arianna, eyeing the letter, "I think I'll go sleep on it..."

**"_Ari_!" **I yelled, exasperated, **"You've already been asleep for at least thirteen hours!"**

Arianna looked guilty at that, and just muttered something and walked off between the shelves, and I rolled my eyes, and went to get ready to go and see my cousin, Soma Shindou.

Arianna's POV

I stared at a wall blankly while I sat in a dark corner of the "Chapel" near the very top of the castle, stroking a Shadow's head absent mindedly.

A pile of books sat on one side of me, and I stared at the center of the circular portion of the room, where there was sometimes a raised platform, though, at the moment, it was flush with the floor.

I always came up here, since all of my other hiding places below had been found.

I liked being alone.

"I just don't get it." I muttered to the Shadow, and myself "Why in the _worlds_ did they send _me_ an invitation for that contest?"

I picked up a book began reading, while muttering to myself, but eventually, I lost interest and stared holes into the wall again.

"You don't look like you're in a very cheery mood today." said a voice, and I looked up to see a teenaged girl who could have been my double, except for the green hair and purple eyes, strolling towards me.

"That's because I'm not." I said flatly, and I punched at a wall.

"Aww, does little Ari not like being alone?" teased the girl.

"Begone!" I snapped, and a power wave slammed into her and she disappeared.

I stood up and strolled out of the chapel and looked over the railing at the ground that was hundreds of feet below.

I was going to be a _long_ time going back down - _a very, very long time indeed._

Aki's POV

"Yuichi!" called my younger cousin, running towards me, waving a paper in his hand, "I got an invitation to try to get the Keyblade!"

"So did Ari and I." I said.

"Speaking of Ari... Where is she? She usually comes with you, though she never says anything..." asked Soma.

"Well... She's...'thinking'." I sighed.

"In other words she staring blankly at a wall trying to see how long it takes before it forms a hole." said Soma, rolling his eyes, "Figures."

We both discussed what we thought the tests would be, and we both figured it'd be fighting others, though, I couldn't really see how the Keyblade would judge the strength of a person's heart that way...

"So," Arianna suddenly appeared out of nowhere, making us jump, "Are you two coming along?"

I stared at Arianna in utter shock. Since _when_ did _she_ dress like _that_. So...black...red...silver...

Put simply, she was wearing tight leather pants (black, of course), a red and black corset shirt made out of what looked like velvet, and sort of showed...half of..._things_. She wore a black and red trench coat and several black and silver pieces of jewelry.

"Come on!" she grabbed us both after we'd gotten out stuff, and opened a black, purple and red energy/portal thing and stepped through, taking us with her.

Nick Night Shade's POV

"What the hell is wrong with your sister?" I asked Erikk Honnakai Ensoka as we meandered through Twilight Town, bored, as usual. and flicking rubber bands at random little kids.

"She says she hates your 'best warrior ever' shtick." replied Erik with a shrug, and I rolled my eyes.

We walked around a while longer, but had to split ways after a while because it was getting late, and when I got home I found a letter taped to the refrigerator - looks like someone knew the first place I got when we got back...

"Invitation?" I muttered, grabbing it and opening it up, "Is this some sort of joke? If it's a test of strength," I flipped the paper over and looked at the back of it, "I'll definitely win."

I tossed the letter onto a table and walked into my room, wondering whether someone was pulling my leg or not, when the phone rang.

I snatched it, and brought it to my ear.

"Nick? This is going to sound really strange, but, my sister and I just got invitations to try and get the Keyblade." said Erik on the other end.

"What!" I asked, spitting soda out of my mouth, "So did I!"

"This is really weird." I heard Erik's sister, Kyasarin/Kat Shizuka Ensoka say on the other end.

"Do you think it's a joke?" asked Erik.

"Who knows?" I asked, leaning back in a chair and propping my feet on a table, "But who cares? Either way, I'll win."

I heard his sister yell in frustration and stomp of, and shook my head.

"Meet us at the launching bay tomorrow at six pm, okay?" asked Erik with a sigh.

"Alright, I'll see you two then." I replied, and I hung up.

I walked back into my room and sat down on the bed, and began to think, then pack.

Peter Phantome Gheist's POV

I was fiddling with a strand of cord that I was going to attach to a complicate device for the upcoming Halloween, while stranded in my thoughts.

"Peter?" asked Jack Skellington, making me jump, my one wing's feather ruffling.

"Yeah?" I asked, then I remembered the cord, and finished attaching it.

"Winged ONEder!" yelled Lock, Shock and Barrel, running up, waving something around.

I grumbled. Only they were allowed to call me that, but still...

"What is it?" I asked as they handed me the paper, and I scanned it, then looked at them, "Is this another of your tricks?"

"Nope!" said Shock, "That just came in the mail!" She shrugged, "Are you going to go?"

Figures they would have read it.

"I have to leave two days before Halloween..." I said, grumbling.

"Go ahead, Peter." said Jack cheerfully, "I knew the last Keybearer, he was a good kid."

I thought for a moment, then muttered and decided to agree, then walked off to my house, Lock, Shock and Barrel following.

"Hey! Wing!" yelled a voice, and I looked up to see Kimimaro Ryu was also waving around a paper, so I walked over eyeing his black and red wing, then his white and blue one.

"You got an invitation too?" I asked.

"Yes. Do you think it's a joke?" asked Ryu.

"That's probably what everyone else wants to know." I said with a shrug, "I'm going to go pack."

I walked off, Lock, Shock and Barrel still following me.

"Take us with you!" they finally demanded.

"No. Stay here and help Jack." I said, then I walked into my house and began packing.

Amber Kaze's POV

"Hey, Ceil." I said, as I sat on the beach, staring at the water. I had heard her walking up behind me.

"We've got mail." said Ceil, dangling a piece of paper in front of my face, and I snatched it.

"Where is everybody?" I asked, "Usually people are out here being weird and worshipping the Sora the Keybearer, my great-great-grandmother, Kairi, and casting spells to keep Riku's spirit and descendants away, and well as Ansem's."

"I dunno." replied Ceil, who _loved_ to synthesize things, "I just got back from Moogle Universal Studios."

I opened my letter, and read it, and felt like fainting.

"Let me guess - invitation to the Quest for the Keybearer thing?" asked Ceil.

"Yeah..." I replied, "You think it's a trick?" I held the paper up to the sunlight, and looked through the paper.

Ceil shrugged.

"You kids aren't supposed to be out here!" yelled a voice, and a woman in blue robes came running towards us, "The Evil Ones were after Lady Amber's great-great-grandmother, who says their spirits won't come after you two too!"

We rolled our eyes and stalked to our boats, and headed home, both of us annoyed -

that particular island was the only place any of us could go without being shepherded around by the mystics and priests and priestesses.

"I'm going." I said, "What about you?"

"_Definitely._" said Ceil flatly.

Kage Misuo's POV

"What's wrong, Kage?" asked a voice, and I turned to see my cousin, Drake Lionheart walked over, ignoring the rain, not having to wipe water out of his eyes like myself thanks o the blindfold he wore.

"I got a really weird invitation." I replied, "Said that I was invited to participate in a contest to become the Keybearer. We're supposed to meet here, in the Third District on the twenty-eighth..."

"I got one too." said Drake, coming to stand next to me, "Are you going to join?"

"Are you?" I asked.

"Yes." replied Drake.

"So am I." I sighed, "Everything has been so boring, lately..."

"Why don't we go see if there's anything interesting to do?" asked Drake with a big grin, then he grabbed my arm, "Come on!"

"Wha-?" I started, but he was already dragging me, so there was no stopping him.

Chaos Black's POV

I stared out over the sand, prodding the sand while not listening to my father ranting about how my twin was such a disappointment.

"-And _**Her**_ obsession with the Heartless!" exclaimed my father to my mother, "_**She**_ is too much like _**Him**_! I _**tell**_ you! _**She**_ would _**Never**_ have gotten an invitation to something like _**This**_, like our _**Dear**_ _**Chaos**_ did!"

"Obviously I'm not in the room." I muttered under my breath, staring at the sand as my father clapped me on the shoulder.

"Its a good thing we **_Left __Her_** when we did!" said my mother, "The effect** _She __Could_** have had on _**Chaos**_! I_ **Shudder**_ at the _**Thought!**_" she shuddered rather flakily.

"I hope the _**Damn**_ girl is _**Dead**_, then we can _**Return**_ to our** _Rightful_** home!" said my father.

"Don't get your hopes up." I muttered, I knew Arianna was most likely alive, its just the question is, have the Heartless taken her heart yet or not. If she ever had one to begin with.

I had always adored my sister, followed her everywhere. She was only a few minutes older than myself.

"And our _**Dear Chaos**_ has come into _**Manhood**_! He has the _**Demon**_ race's _**Scales**_ and _**Wings**_ now!" added my father, clapping me on the shoulder again, "And _**Such**_ a_** Good Worker**_ too!"

I scowled at that. I had been a slave in Agrabah for a _while_, before I had finally been freed. Working for an evil sultan and guarding the evil genie Jafar's lamp was _not_ a fun_ or workless_ job! Plus, had to carry it _everywhere_ with me!

"Chaos, you had _**Better**_ start _**Packing**_ your things so you can _**Leave**_ for _**Traverse Town**_." said my mother.

I stood up without a word and left, and I heard them mutter something about being glad I was gone. My Demon father had obviously corrupted my Elven mother. Tch.

I stared at the invitation that sat on my desk, and tried to figure out whether Ari would have ever gotten something like this or not. The one thing a lot of people forgot, was that the Keyblade could be used for good _or_ evil.

I sighed and began shoving my few belongings into a bag.

Jean Lockheart

I stared at the solid water I stood on and then looked up at the sound of approaching footsteps, and saw a cloaked figure that was familiar by now.

"I'm off duty." I said, giving the figure a look.

_"Jean."_ said a girl's voice, well, teen's,_ "We have a new job for you."_

The girl pulled back her hood, which was something she had never done before, and I saw silver hair and half of her face had red scales, the other had electric blue ones, and I suddenly recognized the cloak as at least a dozen wings. She had ruby red eyes.

_"There is a contest being held."_ said the girl, coming to stand next to me, _"They call it 'The Quest for the Keyblade'."_

"I got an invitation." I said, confused. What _was_ this girl? She had pointed ears like one of the Elven folk, but...

_"I'm a Demi-Elf."_ said the girl as if she had heard my thoughts, and she glanced over at me, _"Left to die in Hollow Bastion at the age of five._

_"We need you to help assassinate the candidates, but make it look like the Heartless did it."_ She eyed me, _"And we _both _know you can _easily _do that."_

Without another word, she held a hand out to the side, and a black, red and purple energy portal opened and she disappeared through it.

"What the hell?" I muttered, staring at the spot that the girl had been standing in, she had looked fifteen, "What _normal_ Demon or Elf can do that?"

Kage's POV

I looked around Traverse Town with a small sigh. I had been standing, sitting and walking around the Third District for about an hour.

Drake was just listening to me pace nervously.

Suddenly, I jumped as a portal similar to the kind Heartless used to appear and disappear, and a tall girl with long curly dark brown hair, blood red scales on her right side, electric blue scales forming patterns on her left, and twelve, black, reflection-less wings stepped through the portal, followed by a shorter girl with blue-black hair in a flopped over Mohawk and one bright green eye, and one bright blue eye. And following them was a boy with blonde hair and bright blue eyes and an impossibly large sword.

_**"Ari!"**_ yelled the shorted girl at the taller one, who was looking around her arms crossed, _**"I could strangle you! I swear if you ever do that again I'll-"**_ She seemed to finally notice that I was staring at her and her friend, "Hi! I'm Yuichi Shindou, and this is my cousin, Soma Shindou!" She was motioning at the boy, who looked annoyed at the mood swing.

I started at the sudden mood swing. The taller girl said nothing, but her wings and scales disappeared and she leaned back against a wall, and I noticed a black, red lined tattoo on her left arm and nearly yelped.

The shorter girl nudged the other in the ribs with an elbow, and the other gave her a look that said she was annoyed.

"And I am Arianna Jade Black." said the taller girl looking up, and her eyes flashed blood red for a moment, then she added with a small smirk, "Descendant of Ansem, and ruler of Hollow Bastion."

I managed not to look shocked, and I saw my brother shift slightly. _Everyone_ knew who _Ansem_ was, and hardly anyone would even say his name, because they were all afraid that, by doing that, they would summon his spirit back from Hell, and he would posses the one who had spoken his name.

"I'm going to go have a look around." said Arianna, turning to Yuichi, "I'll see you around later, Aki."

"But, Ari-" started Yuichi/Aki? but Arianna held a hand out to her side and a dark portal appeared and she stepped through.

"I'm Kage Misuo." I said.

"Please don't mind Ari." sighed Yuichi, who look like she had a headache, "She's been like this ever since..." she paused guiltily, "Ever since her family found out her 'unhealthy' interest in the Heartless. They left her in Hollow Bastion. Alone. I came there a few years ago, and found her in a maze 'talking' to the Heartless." Yuichi sighed, "Her family has done their best to get all of Ansem's blood out of their line, but Arianna frightened them by being 'so much like him', that they left, and hasn't heard from them since she was five."

"How come she called you Aki?" asked my cousin, " You introduced yourself as Yuichi. I'm Drake Lionheart, Kage's cousin, by the way."

"I don't let anyone but Ari call me Aki." said Yuichi/Aki flatly, "Aki is my first name, and Yuichi is my middle."

Aki looked up towards the roofs of the buildings and I followed her gaze, and with a start, I saw Arianna sitting against a wall up on a balcony.

For the next hour, Aki tried to figure out how to get up there, then gave up and came back to the Third District, and saw Arianna walk through a door.

Arianna's POV

I walked along the narrow line of a roof railing, pacing back and forth.

"I'm surprised you're not with the others." said a voice, and I turned slightly to see a familiar, tall man with a black blindfold, and long silver hair walking up to me along the edge of the roof.

"You shouldn't be, Nightmare." I said looking down over the edge of the roof at people walked along the walkways, "Why are you here?"

"Come to watch the fun." replied Nightmare with a smirk, "What are _you_ doing here? This is the first time you've left Hollow Bastion of your own free will. Decide to cause someone pain and suffering?"

"I got an invitation." I replied holding up the letter.

"_Really?_" asked Nightmare, "Well, we needed someone to help the Heartless kill-off the contestants anyway."

I just remained silent, gazing down at the Second District, balanced on a rail on the edge of the roof. A Shadow Heartless appeared, and climbed up my leg and torso to perch on my shoulder, looking around.

"That's my job, is it?" I asked with a small laugh, and I looked over at him, amused, "Well, we can't have me getting bored, I suppose." I got..._scary..._when bored.

"Come now, you _know_ it is." said Nightmare, then he glanced at my feet and the rail then back up at me, an eyebrow raised, "I thought you were _afraid_ of heights?"

"Not anymore." I said with a shrug, then I turned around easily, letting my form shift and I stepped onto the roof.

"What is it that you want from the Heartless, Dark Angel?" asked Nightmare, using my nickname for once, which annoyed me - especially since it was now so fitting.

"What do you mean by that?" I asked, glancing up at him, annoyed at his six feet eleven inches in height.

"You know." said Nightmare, "Everyone who follows the Heartless is either crazy, or has made a deal with them so that they can get something they want."

"_That_, is none of your concern." I said, crossing my arms.

"You're right, it isn't." said Nightmare, "But what _is, _is what weapon you are using in for the Quest."

I could have kicked myself then.

"I don't have one." I admitted, feeling like an idiot.

"Well, we all have one for you." said Nightmare, "But first, we need your advice and instructions on what to do about the Princess's."

I sighed, and opened a portal to the Chapel in my castle, and soon, Nightmare followed.

"What's the problem this time?" I asked walking out of the shadows to the center of the room.

There were seven or eight people in all that I had personally approved - another was one who had once served Ansem - not counting myself, Nightmare, and another of our dear circle of power-hungry bastards.

"We are having a very hard time finding the Princesses." said one of the people gathered around the risen platform in the center of the room, "They are not in the worlds they were during your great-great grandfather's rule."

"That should be no problem. The Heartless should have led you to them by now." I said flatly, giving the person a look, "There is nothing other than the Keyblade, or the Shadowblade. Or even the dark Keyblade, Ansem's staff, or the other blade that Riku once wielded that could possibly interfere. And none of these has been found."

"Actually, the Shadowblade is in the possession of one of Riku's descendants." said a woman across from my at the platform, "That is just one reason we have been searching for you.

"I had a vision of The Great Ansem just last night."

I eyed her, she was known for things such as this, and Seers gave me the creeps.

"Well, I do declare," said a male bean sack with a southern accent, "Why don't you just tell her right now?"

"Ansem said that you underwent a change last night." said the woman, and I started, but quickly smoothed my face over, "And he gave me his Great Bladed Staff to give to you."

This startled me.

"What kind of change did you go through?" asked a deep, seductive, powerful voice, and I glanced to my right then back at the platform - I did not like this particular..._individual_...that much, he could read minds, and therefore knew me a little too well.

I let my form shift again, this time completely. Silver hair, red eyes and all.

A shocked silence filled the room, and the woman across from my jumped when I looked up, showing my red eyes.

"I think my Demon blood is finally showing through." I said lightly, "It has probably happened to my brother, as well. If he is still alive."

"He is." said Nightmare, and I looked at him, "He has been invited to the Quest as well."

I shook my head slightly, "That does not surprise me."

The woman drew her hand over the table, and a black staff with a blue jewel at either end appeared. Out of each jewel were one large bat wing shaped blade, and two smaller ones, that stuck out to the side, and were more like the cross-guard on the hilt of a sword.

I reached out and wrapped my hand around the center of the staff, and picked it up off the table.

It was a lot lighter than I though it was going to be. I gave it a practice swipe.

"You must pick-off the contestants by how high they're points are." said another voice, "The higher the points, the more likely to be a goody-two-shoes Master. The lower, a Master who would be more of a help to us."

I remained silent, fingering the staff, then I looked up, "And let me guess, convert the ones with the lowest points?" I asked, "And try to cause the higher point ones to try and kill themselves?"

Nods.

"Fine." I turned around, then stepped through a portal and returned to Traverse Town, and flew into the Third District, and landed right in front of Aki, making her jump.

"Ari!" yelled Aki, then she noticed the weapon I held, "What's that?"

"My inheritance." I replied leaning back against a wall, leaning my head back.

I remained silent, listening to Kage, Drake, Soma and Aki talk, while I absently mindedly stroked the head of a Wyvern that had found its way to me.

After a long while - twenty minutes to be exact - a group of people walked through the entrance from the First District.

Aki, Kage, Drake, Soma and I all stood up as the others approached.

"Are you here for the Quest?" asked Kage, as she eyed the nine people.

Several nodded, other were just looking around.

"Why don't you all just introduce yourselves?" asked a voice from somewhere behind us, and I turned to see a man in a velvet, dark purple suit, pale purple silk shirt and a pale yellow bow-tie standing in the middle of the Third District, "Then we can get going to the Coliseum! Shake hands! Be friendly!"

I felt like strangling this male cheerleader.

"I'm Yuichi Shindou!" said Aki cheerily.

"And I'm Soma Shindou!" added Soma just as cheerily.

"I'm Kage Misuo." said Kage.

"I'm Drake Lionheart."

"I'm Erikku Honnakai Ensoka." said a teenaged boy with puppy brown eyes and close to blonde hair.

"I'm Erik's sister, Kyasarin Shizuka Ensoka. But call me Kat." said a girl/woman with light brown hair and green eyes.

"I'm Nick Night Shade." said a buff teenaged boy with black, shoulder length hair and bright green eyes, he was eyeing me warily.

"I'm Kimimaro Ryu - Ryu for short." said a boy with long black hair and one blue eye and one red eye - both had slitted pupils.

"I'm Peter Phantome Gheist." said yet another teenaged boy with black and red hair, one was red, the other was closed. He also had only one wing, and the other was little more than a stump, and looked like it might have once been a full-fledged wing at one point, but was torn off. Ouch.

"I'm Amber Kaze." said teen girl with short, dark red hair and gray-blue eyes.

"I'm Ceil Avenir." added a teen girl with a jet-black ponytail and hazel eyes.

"I'm Chaos Black." said a voice that sounded very similar to mine, and a boy with long, wavy dark brown hair and gray-blue eyes stepped forward, and I managed to not yelp.

"I'm Arianna Black." I decided to finally add, and Chaos stared at me in shock, "Chaos' twin sister..."

"Ari!" yelped Chaos, "You're alive!"

"I'm not that hard to kill." I said, "Its not like mother and father took all the food when you all left." I shrugged.

"I'm Jean Lockheart." added the last, a woman somewhere in her twenties, I'd say, and she had gray hair. and dark gray eyes.

"Don't be shy!" said a the irritating male with the horrid suit, pushing me and Chaos forward, "No need to hide your true forms!"

_**"What!" **_yelped in unison with Chaos, _**"How did you know about-!" We stopped and stared at each other, "You have a different form too? Hey! Stop doing that! Its not my fault, its yours!"**_

We other gave each other annoyed looks.

I debated on whether to change my form or not, if I did, I might be recognized... _But_...

Without a word, Chaos suddenly sprouted gold scales down his left side, and silver ones in a pattern on his right. To top it all off, he sprouted two white wings that looked like quartz with veins of gold running through them.

With a small, annoyed sigh, I let my form shift.

"Are you two sure you're twins?" asked the man.

_**"Are you sure that suit looks good with that shirt and tie?"**_ I retorted, "Yes, we're sure we're twins. Though, we probably act nothing alike now..."

"Are you still playing around with the Heartless?" asked Chaos.

"Yes." I replied, "Are mother and father still accusing me of being way to my like Ansem!"

_**"Don't say that name!"**_ yelled Chaos.

_**"Why not! It's not like it a curse word or anything!"**_ I yelled back, then a mocking look came across her face, and she waved her hands around like an oracle, _**"Dooo nooooot saaaaay the naaaaame of theeeee Evil One! You will bring a cuuuursssse on toooo yoooour faaaaaamily! That's a bunch of bull. The reason Ansem became controlled by the darkness, is because, while studying the Heartless, trying to figure out where they come form, he met King Mickey, who had come from another world. Ansem wasn't in good enough shape to make a trip to another world, so he made a 'deal' with the Heartless, resulting in his Guardian. The Guardian, without Ansem's knowing, took control!"**_

"Ari! Chaos!" said Aki, "Cool it!"

"Humph." I muttered and suddenly a Shadow appeared and perched on my shoulder, and I stalked away from everyone a little ways, muttering about "stupid people", more and more Heartless appearing and clustering around me, and I managed to pet them all somehow.

"Hey, by any chance," I turned to see Jean Lockheart had followed me, "Have you ever been to End of the World?"

"I world walk when I sleep." I replied, "I woke up there the other morning, then I returned home, unconscious, carried by one of my Wyverns, why?"

She dragged me out of earshot of the others.

"You're the one who been hiring me!" she said, and I managed not to wince.

"Hired you to what?" I asked, my face confused, and she stopped, and I walked off before she could say anything else, and I perched on the edge of a cement half circle.

"Well, now that everyone has gotten to know each other, let's get to the Coliseum!" said the idiot purple suit man, "Miss Black, would you mind...?"

"Don't tell me you didn't bring a Gummi Ship." I said, staring at the idiot, "Yep, this confirms it. You are a complete, fashion senseless, blithering idiot." I stood up, and grabbed Aki by the arm, "Everyone grab something other than my free arm, possibly Aki, instead of me...?"

Once we were all ready, I opened a portal, and walked through and we arrived at the Olympus Coliseum Gates.

Well? How was it? I hope it's a fairly good start. I typically write chapters anywhere between 35.5 kilobytes and 120 kilobytes, so, some chapters, needless to say, will be rather long. If there is something you forgot to add to your character's description, don't hesitate to tell me!

Darkness will swallow your heart - I hope it tastes good.


	2. Test Two: Starting Point, Shall We Save?



Quest for the Keyblade

Test Two: Starting Point - Shall We Save?

 Arianna's POV, Olympus Coliseum

I ignored Chaos and gave the stupid purple-suit man a very annoyed look as he grabbed a microphone that he definitely didn't need.

"Each of you has been summoned from many different worlds for one purpose. The Keyblade needs a new Master, one with a heart stronger than anyone else's. You have all been called here because each and every one of you possess' a strong heart. It is now that you will be tested to prove who is stronger.

"For the winner, the honor of the title Master of the Keyblade shall be yours.

"And for the _losers_, a return to your world without any memory of this, death, or even life as a Heartless are all that awaits you." He smiled a bit too sadistically, and added mockingly, "_Good luck._

"Also, you should know," added the man all of a sudden, "The dark Keyblade and the Unnamed Blade, both once wielded by Riku, have not been found as of yet. For those of you who have too much darkness in your hearts, these blades just may seek you out.

"_Now_," he motioned at a curtain and it rolled up, revealing what looked like a score board that each of our names on it, "This shows what your points are, the higher, the more likely you will get the Keyblade, the _lower_, you are more likely to be one of the _losers_.

"Now! Let's see what world our lovely contestants will be going to today!" a purple top-hat appeared in his hand, and he rummaged around in it for a moment, then pulled a piece of paper from within, "Drum-roll please! You will be going to... Destiny Islands! A lovely resort with sand, beaches, palm trees, beautiful sky and plenty of souvenir shop - except for the fact people worship the Great Sora and Kairi like gods and goddesses and cast spells that require sacrifice to repel the spirit and descendants of Riku and Ansem, and use anyone who is even the slightest bit different than the rest of the Humans as their sacrifices!"

"Let's see what the three groups are!" he spun what looked like a roulette board, with a crazy game-show host white smile on his face, "In group, number, _one_ we have Chaos Black, Peter Phantome Gheist, Kage Misuo, Kat Honnaki and Erik Honnakai!" He grinned cheerily, "And group, number _two_! Aki Yuichi Shindou, Jean Lockheart, Amber Kaze, Drake Lionheart, and Soma Shindou! And our last, and final group, number, _three_! Arianna Black, Nick Night Shade, Ceil Avenir and Kimimaro Ryu! That it ladies and gentlemen! We, have our, winners! And losers... You will all stay here overnight, and then you will be transported to the Destiny Islands Sandal's Resort! Thank you very much."

"Now! I will introduce you to your great-great-grandparents." everyone stared at him incredulously at that.

"That is impossible." I said, and he and several others looked over at me, including Chaos, "_Unless_ you are a Necromancer, or a Spirit Summoner."

"I am neither." replied the man cheerily, "But still."

Suddenly I heard the doors to the Arena open, and we all turned to see translucent figure walk through.

"_Oh my God._" said Aki.

I noticed several people besides myself had brought out there weapon, and were standing at the ready.

"Put those away!" said a girl, who had short, dark red hair, "It's not nice to point weapons at people!"

"Humph." I muttered, and I stalked away from the rest of the group, and sat up high above everybody.

"Ari." said Chaos, flying up to me, and sitting down, facing me, "What do you think about this tournament?"

"What do you mean?" I asked, standing up and pacing the length of the wall.

"Well... Do you think it..._feels right_?" he asked finally.

"I'm fine with it, why?" I asked, and we headed down back to the ground level.

"Its bugging me, there's something...sinister about it." replied Chaos with a sigh, "I just don't like it. Not at all."

"You're being paranoid." I said simply, and he gave me a look, "So, what are mother and father up to these days?"

"Referring to you as **_Her_** and **_She_**." replied Chaos, "And being extremely sadistic. And happy when I'm not around."

"Sounds like they haven't changed." I said, watching as Aki and Soma talked to a guy with spiked blonde hair and blue eyes, and to a woman with reddish-brow hair pulled back in a braid, "I think paranoia runs in part of the family." I stretched, and yawned.

"But seriously, Ari." said Chaos, "There's something weird going on. What about that purple suit guy?"

"Yick." I muttered, "What a cheerleader. Blech. He does give me the creeps."

"Ari, I don't think we should do this tournament." said Chaos, grabbing my arm.

"**_What!_**" I snapped, "I didn't come all the way out here for nothing!"

"Ari," Chaos was squinting up the inch height difference into my eyes, "You've..._changed_. There's something...different about you."

"There's something different about you too." I said, a sharp edge to my voice, "You've grown paranoid and weak. Why is that?"

"I was a slave, okay!" snapped Chaos, "And I have to guard Jafar's lamp!"

"Ahhh," I said, "Father didn't..._'punish'_...you in anyway, _did he_?"

"No." said Chaos flatly, "He's not like that."

"Yeah, sure." I muttered, and I turned my back to him and began to walk off.

"Ari!" yelled Chaos, getting the attention of everyone in the Arena, "This tournament isn't right! How can you just sit here and let it happen!"

I turned around slightly, my hands in my pockets.

"I would like to see how things progress." I replied simply, "It'd be something different to study, something other than the Heartless, for the most part. There aren't many people living in Hallow Bastion anymore, after all."

"Ari! Do you even have a heart anymore!" yelled Chaos and I saw Aki wince and say something, and put her fingers to her temples as I turned fully to Chaos, "You don't, do you!"

I growled, and glared at Chaos. The one thing you _never_ want to do, is accuse me of not having a heart straight to my face, or within hearing distance.

"I do have a heart." I replied dangerously, "But perhaps it's just been..._frozen_...by my family leaving me to die. Maybe its become frozen thanks to my so-called family leaving me, alone, in the dark, without any light, and nothing to do but to learn how to control," I held a hand out to the side, and what looked suspiciously like a Guardian appeared, "The Heartless."

Everyone was now watching Chaos and I, including the "Heroes" from two centuries ago.

"No one can control the Heartless!" said a voice, and I saw a translucent figure with shoulder length silver hair and bright blue eyes, "I tried, and the darkness swallowed me, but all I had wanted to do was to find and save Kairi! I was blind to anything else!"

"You fell because you had not been _born_ with the ability." I replied, tonelessly, and the Guardian disappeared, "Even someone with the strongest heart cannot control the Heartless unless they were born with the ability, not given it."

**_"Ari!"_** said Chaos, glaring at me, **_"Prove to me you still have a heart!"_** Suddenly his form shifted back to the Demi-Elf form, and I saw him draw a scimitar.

"Do you really want to do this?" I asked, letting my form change completely, "You should have more respect for your older sister."

I held my hands in front of me, and the bladed staff appeared, and I saw the look of shock on both the opaque and translucent faces.

Chaos leapt at me, scimitar raised, and I caught the blade of the scimitar with the blade of my staff, and threw him a ways away from me, then twirled the staff around and brought it down, blade first towards him, and he barely managed to block it, but the force from my blow made him lower his arm and sword very close to his chest.

I withdrew and circle as he stood back up, and brandished his sword.

He leapt at me, and I dodged, barely, and felt the scimitar draw a line of blood across my cheek. I ducked, rolled, and came up on my feet behind him, and slashed at him, and he jumped back.

"You can't possibly have a heart anymore, if you have been acting like this!" snapped Chaos.

"And you have been tainted by father!" I retorted, "He did 'punish' you, didn't that ? Oh no, I know you won't admit it, you think its being brave, being a _man_ to _not_ admit it! You think that no one will understand, that people will make fun of you, that people will just say that you're a weak little snot who has nothing better to do than be you own father's little toy!"

Chaos roared and charged at me, and I blocked his scimitar, but he kicked my in the gut, sending me flying back wards.

This went on for a few minutes, and then Chaos finally got mad enough that he sent me flying across the Arena, the staff sticking into the wall above my head somewhere.

With a growl, I stood up.

**_"Darkness lend me your power!"_** I cried out, weaving patterns in front of me with my hands, and then I began saying things in an ancient, dead language, and the sky darkened, and a dark form of energy began forming in front of me, and I let it fly at my brother.

"Stop this at once!" yelled a voice, and suddenly, distracted, my energy projectile disappeared, and I saw a man with long silver hair and orange eyes standing between me and Chaos.

I scowled, and flew up the wall, and got the staff out of the rock, and began dusting it off.

"Let me at her!" yelled Chaos, pulling against several of the boys, trying to get at me.

"Guardian," I said, and Guardian appeared, and I saw the silver haired man narrow his eyes, so in a lower tone I said, "Find out something on that man in the purple suit and yellow bow tie. And tell Nightmare and the other that I think there may be another side like ours, which is competing with us."

The Guardian disappeared.

**_"Ari!"_** said Aki, and she stalked right up to me.

"What's up, shorty?" I asked, linking my fingers together behind my head, ignoring the slit on my cheek.

**_"Why are you and your brother fighting!"_** she yelled, and with that, she slapped me across the face and stalked away.

"Didn't hurt." I muttered, then with a grumble, I leapt/flew to the highest wall around the Arena, and began pacing it, ignoring the man who I knew was my great-great grandfather who was on the ground.

_"Power,"_ I muttered, and I drew my finger across the air, fingers splayed, and a trail of blue-white energy formed after them in daggers, and I grabbed them, sat on the wall, and began playing around with them.

"What was _that_ all about?" asked a voice, and I turned to see Ansem was now sitting on the wall.

"Chaos thinks there is something sinister about this tournament, and is upset that I am not trying to stop it." I repliedsimply, crouching on the thin wall and looking down into the Arena, thinking, "He and I have been separated since out fifth birthday."

"Separated?" asked Ansem, looking over at me as I let my form shift back to normal.

"Our 'parents' didn't like me much." I said tonelessly, "Said I had unhealthy interest in the Heartless. Said I was too much like you. Apparently they refer to both of us without using our names."

"How did you and your brother get along before that?" asked Ansem, watching as a Wyvern perched next to me.

"He followed me around everywhere." I replied with a small laugh, "We used to be inseparable."

"And that girl who slapped you?" asked Ansem.

"I've known her since I was about ten." I replied simply, "Cloud and Aeris over there are her great-great-grandparents. The boy who looks like Cloud is her cousin, Soma."

The Wyvern looked at Chaos, who was stalking up the bleachers towards us, and hissed.

"Oh shush," I said, looking at the Heartless, "Just because he hates Heartless doesn't mean he's a..._good kid_."

"Your friend," said Chaos, looking at me pointedly, "Knows how to get a point across."

"I know." I replied, "That's why I tend to hide from her near the top of the castle. That way, she gets lost, and I can laugh about it." I shrugged, and then grinned slightly.

"Ari, I want to ask you a question, and I don't want you to get mad at me for it, and I want you to tell me truthfully," began Chaos, "_Have you lost your heart_?"

"Do I look unconscious to you?" I asked, raising an eyebrow, "No." I looked behind him to see Guardian sneaking up on him, "Guardian! Enough! Chaos, why is it that the Heartless hate you so much?"

The Guardian began making sounds, and I raised an eyebrow slightly.

"What did that..._thing_-" Chaos spat, "-Say?"

"Nothing complimentary." I replied flatly.

"Am I not here?" asked Ansem boredly, and Chaos jumped, and turned around.

"Uhm...I...eh..." stuttered Chaos.

"Sit down, take a load off your feet-" I began, then the Coliseum Gates opened, and my mother and father stalked in, and I bristled.

"Chaos, hunny-" started our mother, the she fell silent.

Aki's POV

I looked at the two adults who had just walked in, and then up to Ari, and nearly jumped at the look of utter loathing on her face.

"He_llo!" _Arianna said, standing up on the wall, and Chaos put his face in a hand, and I groaned, "How _have_ you two_ been_? It's been a while, mother, father. Looks like you've been doing..._well..._" Arianna let her form shift and she flew down to stand in front of them, "I have been just _grand_."

"**_Ari-Ari-Ari-Arianna!_**" yelped Arianna's father, staring at Arianna in shock, "We thought **_You_** were dead!"

**"You wished I was dead!"** Arianna snapped, and the Wyvern and Guardian came to hover on either side of her, "But," her voice went back to being smooth, "Not only did I get help from the Heartless," she smirked at the look on their faces, "I got help from some _interesting_ people, and from a girl who moved to _my_ world."

"It's my world!" yelled my father, and he slapped Arianna across the face.

Arianna turned her head to him, her eyes turning red finally, "You left it. You no longer own it. _I do_. It's my world now."

Arianna waved a hand in front of her face, and dark colored sparkles appeared, and formed into the bladed staff, and shock spread across her mother and father's faces.

"You ought to be nicer to your daughter." said Ansem, coming to stand next to Arianna, "And not treat your son like a slave."

"What would **_You_** know!" snapped my father.

Arianna was, needless to say, growing angrier by the second, and if she got angry enough, I knew Guardian and Wyvern were going to attack her parents.

_"What are you two doing here?"_ Arianna asked, coldly, and several people eyed her warily, including myself - I had _never_ seen her like this.

"Now, now, is that anyway to talk to your parents?" asked a voice, and Arianna turned to glare at a tall man with long silver hair and a black blindfold.

_"This is none of your concern, Nightmare!"_ Arianna snapped, her eyes flashing, "And I _suggest_ that if you want to live a bit longer, _you get out of here right now_."

"I just came to watch the fun." said Nightmare innocently, and I noticed Nightshade was looking from Arianna to Nightmare and back, confused, like he was trying to tie it all together, "And to continue to try and bring Nightshade to our side."

Arianna looked like she was going to strangle Nightmare for opening his "damn mouth", as I knew Arianna would say.

"_Oops_." said Nightmare mockingly.

**_"Arianna!"_** snapped Ari's mother, "Y-you're on the _evil_ side!"

"Call me a chaotic-neutral!" Arianna snapped, **_"Darkness,"_** she began and she began to float off of the ground, raising her arms towards the sky, **_"Show us all the true intention of these people's hearts and bring the Heartless and their power to me!"_** The sky went pitch black, and everyone was backing away from Ari, **_"Show these people what it means to betray me, and hurt my brother, and what happens when,"_** Her eyes snapped open and her mother and father yelped at the literally _completely_ ruby red eyes, **_"When they decide to try and kill their own kith and kin!"_**

Arianna's hair whipped into the air, and an uncountable amount of Heartless appeared, and they began to merge, until they were one huge Heartless, which picked Arianna up and sat her at its shoulder as dark energy crackled around me.

**"Arianna!"** I yelled, **"Don't!"**

"She's not Arianna, at the moment," said Nightmare, boredly, looking at a watch.

**_"Darkness, unleash your and mine power unto those who betrayed me, and sought to destroy me!"_** Arianna screamed into the air, and suddenly the sky and ground both split, and darkness fell onto both of her parents, and they screamed in agony**_, "Let only those who are being controlled, and who should be innocent live!"_** she added in a snarl, surprising us all.

Arianna's POV

Suddenly, blinding light came out of nowhere, and I winced at the sudden change, and saw that my father was lying on the ground, eyes half closed, looking like a life-less puppet, skin smoldering, and my mother was sitting, shaking, on the ground.

"What- Ughn!" I fell to one knee exhausted, for some reason, "What...Happ-?" I began, but then the ground rushed up to me and everything went black.

Aki's POV

I paced around the room that Ari was currently laying in, unconscious.

"Why did she ask what happened?" asked Chaos, who was sitting next to the bed.

"She sometimes becomes possessed by the darkness." replied Nightmare with a shrug, "Always amusing, though."

Chaos and I both glared at him, and he shrugged and walked out.

I was currently biting my nails, worried. Ari was on the Heartless' side...?

"Oh...ow..." moaned Ari, and I saw her open her eyes, and she sat up, and immediately clutched her head.

"Ari?" asked Chaos, waving a hand in front of Ari's face, "Oh hi, Chaos, Aki." She said cheerily, grinning, "How long have I been asleep?" asked Arianna, yawning.

"Two hours." replied Chaos.

"Oh, is that all?" asked Ari, looking surprised, "Because I don't remember going to sleep."

"Is **_She_** awake?" asked a voice, and suddenly her and Chaos' mother walked in.

"Oh, hi mom!" said Ari cheerily, "What are you doing all the way out here?"

Again she was looking unusually cheery.

"Uhhh..." her mother looked confused, "Doesn't she remember-?"

"Remember what?" asked Ari, then she squinted at the three of us, "You three sure are acting weird." She yawned again and stretched, the popped her back, making me wince.

"Its nothing." said Chaos quickly, and Arianna shrugged and stood up out of bed and fell flat on her face, "Are you..._okay_?"

"I'm fine!" said Arianna, and she stood up, "The floor tripped me. I'm going to go train!" She walked out of the room.

"What was **_That_** all about?" asked Arianna's mom.

"She doesn't remember what happened at all." said Chaos with a shrug.

Nick Night Shade's POV

I glared at Nightmare as he casually walked towards me.

"_So_, have you changed your mind yet, Nightshade?" asked Nightmare, slinging an arm around my shoulders.

"_No_." I replied flatly, shrugging his arm off, "And I'm not going to. I have no intention of joining the Heartless!"

The doors to the Arena opened and that girl Arianna walked through, whistling like nothing had happened earlier.

"Don't mind Dark Angel." sighed Nightmare, "She got possessed by darkness again, and when that happens, she doesn't remember anything she said or did, so she doesn't think anything happened."

"Possessed by darkness?" I asked incredulously.

"It happens." replied Nightmare, "It comes with her ability to control the Heartless, because if she gets mad enough, she'll get possessed."

"Why don't you ladies and gents go and get some rest before your big day tomorrow!" called the guy in the purple suit, "You don't want to be exhausted, do you?"

"It's only, like, ten thirty!" protested Arianna, "which is, like, five _hours_ before my bed time! You're crazy, like!"

"She...gets...a bit girly after being possessed." said Nightmare, wincing slightly.

Arianna's POV

I was now the only one left in the Arena, and was practicing with my bladed staff, and wondering what the charred area of the Arena was from.

I brought my staff around in a full circle, brought it down, and hit a black blade.

I looked up, startled, into incredibly bright, azure blue eyes.

"_Xander?_" I asked, startled, and I stood up straight, bringing my staff to my side, "What're you doing here?"

Xander was a blue-eyed, black-haired, six foot two Vampire on the Heartless' side.

"Nightmare said you had a little fun today." said Xander.

"Fun?" I asked, thinking, "If you call having fun bringing all of these idiots to this world - you're crazy."

"Ahhh, so you _don't_ remember." he said, toying with my hair, "As usual."

"I wish you all would stop trying to drive me crazy." I muttered, whacking his hand away from my hair, "What do we know about that man in that horrid purple suit?"

"Not much." replied Xander lazily, leaning back against a wall, "His name is Zeuxis. Known to be a bit..._schizophrenic_. He seems to be helping out another group of people who are interested in gaining the Keyblade."

"He's completely weird." I muttered, "And annoying, and has no fashion sense..."

Xander raised an eyebrow at my muttering.

"Ari!" called a voice, and I saw Aki and Chaos running through the gates.

"Hi, guys!" I said cheerily, and Xander raised his eyebrow again, looking slightly amused.

"See you _la-ter_," said Xander in a sing-song tone, "Good _lu-uck_."

He teleported, and Aki and Chaos yelped.

"I _hate_ Vampyres. Especially him" I muttered, scuffing a foot, "What's up, guys?"

"Are you ready to go inside yet?" asked Chaos, "You can't stay out here all night!"

"Yeah, I guess." I sighed, "Let's go."

No One's POV

"Well?" asked a tall Vampyre with electric blue hair and bright orange eyes as Xander Leukos walked into the throne room of the first Vampyre's castle.

"Well what?" Xander asked tonelessly.

"The slaves are saying that you've been disappearing from this world quite a bit, but you aren't bringing anyone back," the Vampyre rested an elbow on the arm rest of his throne and propped the side of his face against it, "So what are you doing? You're obviously not finding more Humans to bring to this world to use as slaves."

"I've been helping the Heartless." replied Xander tonelessly, "There's a girl there you might be interested in. They will all be coming to this world in a few days or more."

"_Really_?" asked the Vampyre thoughtfully, "I have been wanting to get some _interesting_ _slaves_."

"You'll have a hard time with her and the other ones." said Xander flatly, "They're the ones who are on the Quest for the Keyblade." Without another word Xander strode off to his rooms, "Oh, and the girl." Xander looked back at the blue-haired Vampyre, "_Hates_ Vampyres. Probably my fault, after all, I did cheat on her." He turned around and left.


	3. Test Three: Destiny Islands Place of lo...

?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?

Quest for the Keyblade

Test Three: Destiny Islands - Place of love, relaxation and... Human - and not so Human - Sacrifices!

?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿ Arianna's POV, Olympus Coliseum - the night before departure...

I yawned as I walked into the room that Aki and Chaos were sitting in.

"Hi." I said in a slight grumble as I plopped heavily down in a chair, rubbing my temples - I had a terrible headache.

"What happened to you?" asked Chaos, one minute you were behind us, then we turned to look at you, and you were gone."

"Memory rush." I grumbled, "I hate it when this happens!" I punched a wall, denting it, "I wish guys had told me..."

"I wasn't sure what to do." said Chaos, shrugging slightly.

"I feel like a dunce." I muttered, and then I lazily grabbed a book, and began reading it.

"Uhm... Ari?" said Chaos.

"What?" I asked, glancing up.

"Your book is upside down." replied Chaos.

"No its not." I replied, and then he laughed and pointed at the book, "Oops..."

I noticed that Aki wasn't talking to me, and she wouldn't even look at me.

"_Aki-i._" I said, waving a hand in front of her face, and was startled when she flinched and shied back in her seat.

"Uhh...Aki?" I asked, confused, then enlightenment came to me, "Ahh... I guess I have explaining to do...?"

At that Aki, turned to me, a _very_ annoyed look on her face, and she grabbed me by the collar of my shirt.

**"Why the hell are you siding with the Heartless!" **yelled Aki, and I winced.

"Well..." I muttered, looking away, and then she shook me, "Ow! Easy! Easy! What would you expect me to do! I was left all alone with the _Heartless_ after all! _And_ with all of Ansem's reports and so on!"

"Why did Nightmare make it sound like you're their leader!" Aki growled, shaking me by the collar again.

"Well... I... Am?" I grumbled, she was beginning to make me feel a little bit guilty, "Look. It's not that hard to join the Heartless when you've got a connection with them and you're abandoned by your own family, okay?

"Just imagine it: you're all alone, in a place as gigantic as Hollow Bastion, no one else is there besides you and the Heartless and your own mind. Imagine being in the castle, without anyone - not even an _enemy_ - there to even talk to you, or sway you to one side or the other? Imagine what its like to be walking through the castle, hearing voices, and _not_ realizing that you are hearing the Heartless! I thought I was going mad! I nearly _did_ go mad!"

"Then what kept you from going mad?" asked Chaos.

"Well...uhmm..." I grumbled to myself, "Xander. Xander, Xander, _Xander_. Heck, its thanks to him I'm not insane _or_ dead - yet. Xander I met when I was oh...seven or eight...and helped me come back to my senses. Xander is an Ancient Vampyre, so he's very good at that." I noticed Aki twitched when I said "Vampyre" but I decided to be smart and not inquire, "But anyhoo, I'm tired. I think I'm going to go to sleep." Aki finally let go of me.

"What sort of deal did you make with the Heartless?" asked Aki as I went to walk out of the room.

I stopped at that, but didn't turn around, "What do you think? I was all alone without any company other than the Heartless. Now, the Heartless, I must admit, aren't the most intellectual beings in the universe, so what sort of deal do you think I'd make, _if_ I made one?"

With that, I walked out and closed the door and walked out into the Arena, heading towards my room.

"Well, well..." said a voice, and with a scowl, I stopped and turned around, "Aren't you the _naughty_ girl! You turned your own _father_ into a _Heartless_!"

"Leave me alone." I growled, giving the green-haired purple-eyed girl an annoyed look, "I don't feel like bothering with you right now!"

"Aww... That's no way to treat your other half!" said the girl, giggling and waggling a finger at me.

**_"I said leave me alone."_** I growled, and I slashed at her with my bladed staff, and she dodged back, but I caught her cheek, and as that happened, I felt my own cheek slice open.

I touched a finger to my cheek and saw blood, and I stared at it then looked up at the girl, but she was gone, and I glanced at the ground two see two twin slashes of blood across the ground.

"What the hell...?" I muttered, then, shaking my head, I walked off.

I arrived at my room, and began looking through my bags, trying to find what I'd wear tomorrow to the Islands, and saw that nothing was suitable for a beach, so I decided to go back to Hollow Bastion and get something myself.

"Hello, Ventus," I said, stroking the head of the Wyvern as I appeared in my room in Hollow Bastion, "I've just had a _terrible_ day. Anything interesting happen anywhere?"

_"No."_ replied Ventus, _"We can't find out much on Xeuxis, accept that he and his colleagues have been given the power to control Heartless like myself."_

"Great." I muttered, going through my closet, "Just _great_. Oh well, all I can do is hope that by the time I have to kill them, they'll be swallowed by the darkness. That way, I won't have to worry much."

Ventus gave me a weird look, and flew off.

I continued rummaging through my closet when something weird happened. Not only did I suddenly feel an impossibly powerful and Ancient presence - I felt two arms wrap around my shoulders from behind, and felt a head rest on my right shoulder, and I felt someone's breath against my neck.

Startled, I glanced into the mirror in my closet, but I didn't see anyone bedside's myself.

I felt lips brush my neck, and, further startled, and I turned around - still nothing and no one.

"What in the worlds...?" I muttered, and suddenly something grabbed me by the chin, and I felt lips press to mine, then the sensation was gone, and the powerful presence was gone.

"What the hell!" I yelped to myself, and I hurriedly grabbed a simple, white kimono and my two katanas that I usually used when fighting, and returned to Olympus Coliseum.

I sat down on my bed, and grabbed a knife out of a boot, and looked at it for a long time, then my eyes slid over to my wrist and back.

Nick's POV?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿

We were all gathered near the Coliseum Gates, wondering how we were going to get to Destiny Islands. Thankfully, Arianna had stopped acting like a female version of the purple suit guy, and was leaning up against a wall, a toothpick sticking out of one side of her mouth, her eyes closed, her arms folded, her face pointed towards the ground. She looked like she was thinking, and she looked a bit haunted.

"Now, as you have all noticed, your points all start out at five hundred." said the purple suit guy, "Depending on your actions during your Quests, your points will increase or decrease. _The Keyblade is always watching you, judging what you do._

"And please do beware of the Heartless, especially if you are not with someone who they..._get along with_."

Arianna's eyes snapped open and she glared at the man.

"Now!" he said, not at all unnerved by Arianna glare, even though, if looks were daggers, he'd be dead, "To the Destiny Islands!"

Suddenly there was a bright flash of light, and we were in Gummi Ships.

"Well!" said Ceil, looking at Arianna and Ryu sat down in a corner, "Someone looks a bit...unnerved."

"Big understatement." said Arianna with a sigh, and she sprawled out, "Ever been somewhere and feel like some just walked by you, or touched you?"

"Not me." said Ceil, shaking her head, and Arianna somehow managed to look even more depressed.

"Only when ghosts have walked by me." said Ryu, grinning slightly.

"I've seen plenty of ghosts, but none have I ever been able to feel." muttered Arianna, "Tch, maybe I'm going through another of my 'I can't tell the difference between reality and dream' periods..."

She grumbled to herself, and looked out the window.

"Why do you keep rubbing your wrists?" asked Ryu.

"No reason." Arianna replied, obviously lying.

"You're a very bad liar." stated Ryu, flatly.

Ceil grabbed Arianna's wrists, and Arianna winced. Ceil grabbed cloth that was wrapped around Arianna's wrists, and revealed three slits per wrist.

"Looks like someone has issues." I remarked, and Arianna gave me a look.

"Who wouldn't, when they've had to live in a place like Hollow Bastion alone?" she asked bitterly, then muttered to herself, "And when they see someone who almost looks like them self, attack the person, cuts the person, and only succeeds in cutting herself... Weird..."

A while later, the Gummi ship began darting around and rolling over.

"Oh damn." we all yelped, as a hatch in the bottom of the floor opened, and Ryu and Ceil fell through.

"Aw shit." muttered Arianna, who was gripping a bar, "Shit, shit, shit, shit, shit, shit!"

Suddenly the Gummi Ship hit a solid surface with enough force to send us flying out the hatch.

"Ow!" grumbled Arianna, as she landed stomach first on sand, "Double ow!" I'd fallen on top of her.

She managed to shove me off of her, and muttering to herself incoherently, she stood up, took off a shoe and emptied sand out of it.

"Great." I muttered, doing the same, "We're stuck!"

Arianna just remained silent and examined the Gummi Ship.

"Aw man..." Arianna grumbled, then she kicked the Gummi Ship so hard I was surprised she didn't yelp, "This ing piece !" She growled and kicked it even harder, then grabbed two bags out of it, and threw one of them at me, hitting me in the head, and began walking off.

"Hey!" I yelled, and I ran after her as Heartless began to pop out of the sand.

Arianna just stopped, slashed a foot-long spider in half with a shudder and gave me a look that said "slowpoke".

?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿Arianna's POV

Just great. I was stuck on an island with someone who most likely hated my guts. Lovely.

"How do you know Nightmare?" asked Nick as he caught up with me.

"I met him a few years ago." I replied tartly, and I began walking again, killing spiders with a katana in the process, as well as cutting weeds out of the way, and ignoring the snake that was slithering up my arm.

"Yeah...?" prompted Nick, and I scowled to myself.

"I was looking for people who would help me find the Princesses of Heart, okay?" I said, giving him a look, then I muttered, "Not that that seems very important anymore. Or anything, really..." In a louder voice I said, "He talks non-stop about you, you know. He said that if I try to kill you, he'll beat the living shit out of me. I swear, he acts like you're his son."

"What has he said about me...?" asked Nick wearily.

"Besides that you'd be an 'asset to our cause'?" I asked, smirking slightly, "And talking about how he adores you, even though you quite obviously detest him?"

Nick looked annoyed.

After a long time of walking through the endless forest of palm trees and spiders, we reached a clearing with a very big Heartless in it.

I was at least twenty feet in height, and it was gold colored with veins of red, purple and black liquid running through-out its skin, slightly above the surface. I looked like a manticore - bird's head and beak, lion's body, giant bat wings and a three headed snake for a tail.

"That's big." said Nick staring up at the thing.

"Ooh." I said, imprinting what it looked like to memory, "Its cute!"

Nick looked at me as if I were insane, then he pulled out a black sword that look like it was made of shadow, and crouched, prepared to leap at the Heartless.

"Aren't you a big, cute Heartless! Nick, wait, I can control it, _remember_?" I said, going up to the Heartless, and ended up ducking and rolling as it tried to peck me on the head, "Damn little bugger."

I tried for a few minutes to control it, then the Heartless suddenly grew six arms - three out of each side, and the fingernails of the hands on the arms were at least six inches long, and swiped at us, sending us flying.

"Oh yeah, that _really_ worked 'well." muttered Nick sarcastically.

Without a word, I leapt at the Heartless, a katana in each hand, simply leapt onto the top of the arm that swiped at me, cut of the second arm that swiped at me, ignoring the sticky sand that spat out of it.

I looked to see Nick was cutting the other arms off, and after I had cut off my three, I leapt onto the creature's back, and suddenly, something wrapped around my ankle, and I found myself hanging in the air, upside down. Then I got thrown towards the Heartless' head, and I growled, changed my form, and flew out of Manticore's reach with a growl.

Before I could charge at Manticore, its head fell off as the sticky sand stuff splurted everywhere.

"That was easy." remarked Nick, jumping off Manticore's back and walking towards me, who was still transformed.

"Show-off." I muttered.

"Oh? And you aren't?" asked Nick slyly, "But you have to admit that _I_ am _the best_ warrior."

"Oh?" I asked, then I laughed, "You might be the best _warrior_ but _I'm_ the best warrior _woman_."

Nick just laughed at that.

"Well!" said a voice, and I looked around to see Nightmare.

"Oh joy." Nick and I both muttered in unison.

"We can't find much of anything on Xeuxis!" said Nightmare slinging an arm around my shoulders as I crossed my arms, "But he-"

"But he can control the Heartless." I said for him, and he looked at me, startled, "But his gift is given, he wasn't born with it. So, he'll eventually be swallowed by the darkness, and then we won't have anything to worry about!"

"True." said Nightmare, "He'd be easy to kill off."

"Exactly!" I said.

"You two are _both_ crazy." said Nick, crossing his arms.

"Oh, Dark Angel certainly isn't crazy!" said Nightmare, grinning, "And neither am I!"

"Yeah, sure." I said, "And pigs can fly. I think I'll just go back to killing spiders..."

"Nightshade!" said Nightmare as Nick went the walk away, "Won't you join us? We'd make such a perfect team!"

"No thanks." replied Nick flatly, and the turned his back on Nightmare and stalked past me.

"Oh well, you can convince him!" Nightmare grinned at me, winked and disappeared.

"What is _that_ supposed to mean?" I muttered to myself.

Several hours later, it was night, and we sat down in the sand and I just prodded shells, glaring holes into the sand. Nick didn't look like he was in any better mood.

"What are we supposed to eat?" I heard Nick grumble to himself.

"Seaweed?" I suggested, and then I made a face, "Maybe fish? _You _can skin and bone them. Maybe there's something in the forest..."

With that, I stood up, and walked into the forest and got out of hearing distance, and brought a handkerchief to my mouth and began coughing badly, and I winced. I brought the handkerchief away from my mouth and shook my head at the red on the should-be white cloth, and began looking for edible stuff.

I didn't find anything, so I returned grumpily to camp.

"Got any rope or string?" asked Nick as I walked back over to a small fire he'd made.

"Yes." I replied, taking two coils of rope out of my backpack, "Why?"

"Maybe we can set a trap." replied Nick with a shrug, but then we heard twigs crack, and we turned around, startled.

"A _trap_?" said a voice, and a girl with green hair to her behind and purple eyes walked out and I scowled, and Nick looked at me curiously, "Why _ever_ would you want to do that? Its a stupid idea, don't you think, Arianna?"

"Get out of here, before I do something stupid." I growled, my voice lethal, And Nick just continued to look from one to the other, an eyebrow raised.

"You know her?" asked Nick, "You know... She sort of looks like you, for some twisted reason."

"That's because I am her!" said the green haired me with a giggle, and she bounced over and looked up at Nick, "Gee! You're sure cute! Good muscles, too! Probably really stupid, though."

"Try not to seriously injure or kill her." I muttered, "If she gets injured, I get the same wound." I leaned back against a tree, arms crossed and I scuffed a foot into the sand.

"Aw!" said the second me, giggling, and she bounced over to me, "You know that _I_ am your better half!"

"Hardly." I snapped, glaring at her, and I was vaguely aware of my eyes changing to ruby red, "Psycho-path bitches are hardly any good." I shoved her away from me with a foot, and stalked away from her.

"_So_, have you told anyone yet?" giggled Other Me, coming up behind me.

With a growl I whirled around, and foot long blades intended from my fingertips and one went on either side of her neck, digging into the tree she was now in front of.

**_"Don't mention that."_** I growled, **_"Or I will do something very stupid."_**

"Oh well," she sighed, "I'll just go bother the bishie!" She giggled and bounced over to Nick and I just decided I was going to watch and see how long it took for him to get annoyed.

Unfortunately, before she even got over to him, a huge monster/dog with three heads trotted into the clearing.

"Now _that_ is even more cute than Manticore!" I declared, as other me stared at it, shrieked, and hid behind Nick, and I could tell Nick was wondering what the heck was going on. Not to mention how two people who were supposed to be the same person were acting like complete opposites.

Before I could even try to pet Cerberus, he blew dark colored fire at me, making me yelp as I got out of the way to stare at the incinerated tree, and gulp.

"He'll be easy." said Nick, drawing his sword, and I rolled my eyes, especially when the other me got out two little pom-poms and started cheering.

I grabbed empty air, and my bladed staff appeared, and I hit a fire ball back at Cerberus, and I noticed a man on its back. This man was _not_ Hades. I didn't recognize this person, excepts he wore a suit identical to Xeuxis', except for the fact his was cerulean. Other than that, his hair was silver and his eyes were purple, just like Xeuxis'.

"Well, well," said the man, "My name is Xyangowé. I am brother to Xeuxis, annoying as he is."

I eyed Xyangowé wearily, he was too calm. Too collected.

"So, Miss Black, I am not here for you, as we all know you belong to that _other_ group, which I must say is rather pathetic." said Xyangowé airily, "I am here to offer young master Nick Night Shade here a position in our little group, so..."

Suddenly he flicked a hand, and I went flying, as did my double, and we both landed more than a hundred yards away in the forest - after hitting a tree each, and having coconuts hit us on the head.

With a growl, we both launched forward - _no one_ threw _us_.

We sped onto the beach, weaving dark energy between the both of us, and ran smack dab into an invisible barrier.

We looked up to see that Xyangowé was saying something to Nick, who was obviously getting angrier and angrier by the moment.

Suddenly, Xyangowé bore a triumphant look, and as Nick leapt at him, Nick's form began to change entirely as dark energy began surrounding him.

His skin turned black as a Shadow Heartless, his eyes went from green to white, his black tank top, pants and cape turned from black to white, and his hair went from shoulder length black, to mid-back ghost white. His white headband disappeared, and I saw he sported one black wing.

The second me looked like she was going to faint, so, to help her, I hit her upside the head - especially since she was drooling - something I _don't_ do. And I was happy to see she disappeared.

Nightshade leapt at Xyangowé, his Shadowblade in hand, but suddenly, smirking, Xyangowé and Cerberus disappeared, and the barrier disappeared, so I threw a few branched into the fire, eyeing Nick as he changed back, looking livid, annoyed, etc.

"No, I'm not going to explain." said Nick flatly before I'd even opened my mouth to say anything.

"Oooh, touchy." I said, raising an eyebrow, "I won't even ask what he said to you."

"Let's just say its Nightmare fault." spat Nick as I gathered rope, "What _I_ would _really_ like to know what is with that..."

"Double?" I supplied, and he nodded, "I have no fricken' clue." I shook my head slightly and shrugged, "She delights in annoying me, just like just about everyone I know... She is nothing like any aspect of myself, so I half wonder if someone created her somehow... But really, what was with your..._transformation_? I _did_ sense Heartless energy, so I cannot ignore that, you know."

"Am I going to be able to get you to leave off the subject?" asked Nick, and I simply shook my head with a small grin, and he sighed reluctantly, "Okay. I carry a Heartless' soul in my body, thanks to _Nightmare_. That's really it, but I swear, if you tell anyone, I think I'll strangle you."

"Fine, I won't tell anyone." I said with another shrug, and a small smile, "If there's one thing I'm good at, its keeping secrets. But anyway, lets get that trap ready or I'm probably going to kill something poisonous and eat it."

Ceil's POV?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿

"I hope Nightshade and Dark Angel don't kill each other." I muttered as Ryu and I stalked grouchily through a cave we were currently lost in.

"They won't kill each other." said Ryu, "They'll just seriously injure and insult each other."

We had been wandering around in the cave for the past four hours, and _still_ hadn't found a way out.

"Which way should we go?" I asked as we came to a large room with four intersecting tunnels.

"Left?" suggested Ryu with a yawn as the stretched his wings - one was white with blue tips, the other black with red tips.

"I was going to say right." I said.

"Well, all of _your_ guesses have been wrong." said Ryu, and he began heading for the left-hand tunnel, "Are you _coming_?"

With a grumble a followed Ryu down the tunnel.

We walked down the tunnel a long while when we heard sounds like voices from ahead. We exchanged looks, and cautiously continued forward, and after a while, we found a small, candle lit cave room with ten people dressed in hooded, cerulean blue robes standing around what looked like a stone alter that had an unconscious woman with white skin and pure white hair lying on it.

"Great Sora! Great Kairi! We Beg For You To Keep Immortal Fiends Such As This Woman Away From Our Pure Lands! We Beg You To Accept Our Offering Of This Filthy Immortal Woman!"

The "High Priest" held up a dagger, and before I could say anything, Ryu rushed forward, a double bladed sword in hand, his finger gripped around the black crystal hilt, making a woman scream.

"Abnormal filth!" bellowed the High Priest who I suddenly recognized as my _father_, and in shock, I found myself glued to the floor.

"You think sacrificing people will keep people away from your lands!" yelled Ryu, grabbing the woman and slinging her over his shoulder, "I swear! You humans are despicable! Just because they don't look like you, doesn't mean that they're killers!"

Suddenly, I snapped out of my daze and strode forward to glare at my father, who had just raised a dagger at Ryu and the unconscious woman.

"Ceil Avenir!" bellowed my father, "What do think you are doing!"

"Ryu's right!" I snapped, "This is _wrong_!"

We managed to get out of the cave without killing anyone or getting killed, and we ran towards the beach, and managed to trip a wire or something, and suddenly we were hauled into the air by our feet, and Ryu managed to keep the woman from falling.

"Huh?" we looked down to see a very familiar girl with brown hair and black wings grinning up at us.

"I'd hoped we'd caught dinner..." she sighed, and mercilessly she slashed a rope and we fell to the ground, "Oh well. Maybe we'll try fishing after all..."

"Ari!" I said, "There are people here they..."

"They sacrifice people who aren't normal to try and keep Immortals and Heartless away-" I began but suddenly there was a yell from the beach, and at the same time, Arianna nearly fell to the ground, suddenly looking rather pained.

"Aw, these - s." muttered Arianna, "Apparently they cast spells to keep people such as Nightshade and I away." She winced, and straightened, "Let's go see about food... Who's the woman?"

On the way, we explained to Arianna, and then to Nick, once we arrived at camp.

"She's out cold." said Nick after Ryu had laid her down

"She's a Vampyre." sniffed Arianna, her arms crossed, and Ryu raised an eyebrow, "I detest Vampyres." With another sniff she walked off, her chin thrust into the air.

"Is it really safe for her to go into the forest all alone?" I asked, watching Arianna go.

"Probably." said Nick, sitting back on his heels, "She does it almost every hour."

"Every hour?" asked Ryu.

"I wonder why..." I muttered, then the woman moaned slightly, and her eyes opened to show red eyes.

Arianna's POV?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿

I sat down on a fallen palm tree with a thud and began coughing uncontrollably, thoroughly saturating a handkerchief with blood, and my hands.

"Ari!" called a voice, and I cursed under my breath, saw a handy pool of water, so I discarded the handkerchief into a log, and washed my hands off very quickly, but thoroughly.

"Yeah?" I asked, walking towards the voice, to see Ceil, "What's up?"

"Are you going to help us fish?" asked Ceil.

"I suppose." I replied with a shrug, and I kept my hand in my pockets, discreetly drying them, "Lead the way."

We arrived back at camp, and Ryu tossed me a stick with a sharpened end, and then he waded out into the water.

"Lovely." I muttered, then I did the same, glad I was wearing a bikini, and skewered a fish, killing it instantly, and threw it on the shore.

Finally, we had eaten, as had the _Vampyre_, but she had been brought live mammals from the forest to drink the blood of, and she was now sitting across the fire from me - both of us ignoring each other. Though, I was ignoring everyone.

"So," said Ryu, looking at the woman, "What's your name?"

"Naomi." replied the albino flatly, and we all introduced ourselves.

"_So,_" said Naomi, and I spotted a sly smirk in her face as she looked over at me, "How do you like your boyfriend?"

"What?" I asked blankly, staring at her as if she had two heads, "Boyfriend? You mean 'a sweetheart, lover, beau, or escort of a girl or woman? Or do you mean 'a boy who is one's friend'?"

"Well, someone certainly looked in the dictionary for that definition." said Naomi sarcastically, "You're a blonde."

"I can be," I replied with a shrug, and I slight glare, "When I choose to be. But I still have no idea what you are talking about."

Naomi just rolled her eyes at me and I just "humphed" and muttered something about "stupid Vampyres" under my breath, stood up, and stalked out of camp to begin another coughing fit - I'd felt the chest pains again, so I knew it was coming.

"So, have you told the others about you illness yet?" asked a voice, and I jumped and turned to see Naomi.

"Of course I have...n't." I replied, "They don't need to know. I'm going to die anyway, so who cares?"

"You're weak." scoffed Naomi, and she grabbed my wrist, looking at the slits, "Resorting to this! Tch!" She threw my hand down.

"I don't even know really what _made_ me do that, okay?" I snapped, "I'm just depressed."

"Look, I don't like you, and you don't like me, but I can make it so you never have to worry about your tuberculosis ever again." said Naomi, giving me a pointed look as I gave her a suspicious one, "I can make you a Vampyre. You have people who care about you, you shouldn't be so willing to dessert them."

"Tch. Never." I scoffed.

"Fine, leave your boyfriend all alone." said Naomi with a shrug.

"Are you trying to drive me crazy?" I asked, giving her an annoyed look, "I'm _still_ trying to figure out what the hell you're talking about."

"Nick of course, you moron!" said Naomi, rolling her eyes.

"Where the hell did you get _that_ idea!" I demanded, annoyed further by the ridiculous idea.

"Come _on_!" said Naomi, whacking my shoulder with the back of her hand as she rolled her eyes, "I saw how you looked at him!"

"What is _that_ supposed to mean?" I asked flatly, giving her a look.

"Your face is red." said Naomi with a smirk.

"I got sunburned." I replied, giving her a dirty look as she raised an eyebrow.

"Oh _really_?" asked Naomi, "Why isn't anywhere else red, then?"

"I was wearing a _kimono_ earlier!" I replied tartly, "Not a bikini! And I get sunburned easily! I don't tan!"

"You want to see pale?" asked Naomi, just as tartly, "Who's the albino here!"

I just rolled my eyes, about to stalk off, annoyed.

"But anyway, what's your answer?" asked Naomi.

"Humph." I muttered, crossing my arms and looking away.

"Fine, I'll just go tell your little boyfriend about your illness." said Naomi, slyly.

"See if I care!" I sniffed, my back to her as I heard her begin walking away, "You act _way_ too much like Xander..."

"_You_ know _Xander_!" asked Naomi, suddenly spinning me around, "How the _hell_ did he meet a stupid mortal like you!"

"Its thanks to him that I'm sane!" I snapped, "He found me in Hollow Bastion about to try and eat a still-live spider, mind you!"

"One bit of advice," said Naomi, her voice lethal, "Don't trust him - not with anything. He'll betray you any chance he gets."

"You seem to know him rather well." I remarked slyly.

"He's my ex-boyfriend." snapped Naomi, "Trust me, he'll betray you in a _heartbeat_. Do you know why I dumped him?"

"Because he's a player?" I asked innocently.

"_Everybody_ knows _that_." said Naomi, rolling her eyes.

"Apparently you didn't when you decided to date him." I teased, grinning.

She growled.

"And I already know not to trust Xander." I sniffed, "He's already betrayed me. Its thanks to him I hate Vampyres."

"So, what's your answer?" she asked, crossing her arms.

I just rolled my eyes and mimicked her pose.

"Fine. I'll just go and tell you "friend"...what's her name? Aki? About your illness."

I had my back to her again, so I winced, but scoffed and said, "Go ahead! See if I care."

I heard her leave and mutter something.

"You really are like Xander though..." I muttered.

"Do you want your throat slit!" yelled Naomi, and I turned with a small smirk.

"You _do_ act a lot like him." I said simply, mimicking the sing-song, care-free tones that Xander used and were so annoying, "The tone's you use when trying to convince," She twitched, "_Threatening_ the one you are _trying_ to convince, which is so _naughty_ of you," Another twitch, "Over all your whole _demeanor_."

She grabbed me around the throat and I just chuckled.

"I'll let you think about my offer." she sniffed, and then she simply dropped me, turned around, "I won't tell your little boyfriend and friends, but you _should_." She walked a few yards away, then looked over at me, annoyed, "Are you _coming_? And if you change your mind, just call."

I just shook my head in disbelief as she turned around, and I followed her.

"You two took forever." said Ceil, looking up as we walked over, both wearing identical, annoyed "humph" expressions.

I plopped down in the sand, ignoring the sand that stuck to my legs and hands as I watched Naomi slowly grin slyly.

"_So_," said Naomi, grinning, "How are the lovebirds doing?"

"_Naomi_." I said, giving her a very dirty look, while the other looked amusingly confused, "Don't push it. I'm in one of my, 'if you annoy me I'll kill you no matter who or what you are' moods."

Ceil and Ryu looked at me, questioningly.

"_So_," said Naomi, then looking over at Nick, and I groaned inwardly at the tone, "What do you think about Arianna, over there?"

"Uh... What is _that_ supposed to mean?" asked Nick.

Naomi just laughed, and began to walk off.

"They _do_ make a cute couple, though." I heard Naomi mutter, and Ceil and Ryu both began laughing.

"What is that supposed to mean!" Nick and I both yelled in unison, and Ceil and Ryu began laughing harder.

"See what I mean, you two are exactly alike." said Naomi, shrugging.

"We are not!" we both yelled in unison, then stared at each other, finally realizing we were saying the exact same thing at the exact same time.

"I'm going swimming." I declared at the same time Nick declared, "I'm going to sleep." And we both stalked off in different directions, and I dived into the ocean.

Naomi walked off to who knows where.

I just swam around, and swam out far enough that there was something I could hide behind, and I began coughing really badly and I winced. I had never had such bad fits before. It must be the spells the people had cast, making it worse.

I began rolling around what Naomi said about me telling, and I swam back to shore, then walked onto the beach, ringing water out of my hair, and saw everyone was still awake, sitting up, talking, and bored.

"You look haunted." said Ceil.

"Again." added Nick as I dried myself off with a towel from my back pack, "Didn't cut yourself again, did you?"

"Not after Naomi calling me weak for it." I replied indignantly, "Heck, slitting myself isn't me, anyway, I don't know why I did it in the first place. Maybe to hurry up my impending death-" I winced, I hadn't meant to say that...

"What?" asked Ryu, "_Impending_ death? You act like it's going to happen soon."

"It is." I muttered, prodding the fire with a stick out of boredom, "Every time I've gone into the forest alone, its been to begin one of my coughing fits. I have tuberculosis - a disease of the lungs, and I've had it for years. I cough up blood. Naomi is offering to turn me into a Vampyre so I can live forever instead of die."

I prodded the fire again, depressed.

"_She_ is offering to turn you." asked Ryu incredulously, and I just shrugged and nodded.

"Are you going to accept?" asked Nick, looking over at me, noting that my mood that was more appropriate for someone in a dark and dreary dungeon.

"Does a pig fly to Mars?" I asked sarcastically.

"No!" asked Ceil, "No! Are you really that _stupid_, Oh Great Heiress Of The Great Ansem!"

"Does your hate of Vampyres really go that far?" asked Ryu, "Do you even hate part Vampyres?"

"...I mostly hate the Ancients, and the full-bloods." I replied after a moments thought, "Vampyres typically ignore the part-bloods, except as slaves, that is. So, no. I don't hate part-bloods. I can sympathize with part-bloods." I eyed the fire idly.

"Good." said Ryu, "Because _I'm_ half Vampyre." He stood up, and walked off into the forest, muttering something about "hot springs".

"We should all get some rest." announced Nick, "We ought to try and get off of this Island tomorrow."

I watched as Ceil walked off into the forest, also mentioning the hot springs, so I just shook my head in disbelief. Nick just remained where he sat, staring into the fire as I prodded it.

?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿Aki's POV

I was walking through a forest, annoyed and lost - I shouldn't have lost my temper and left the others. I sighed, then heard talking from ahead, and looked, and spotted Ari and Nick talking on a beach.

"Are those two actually talking?" I asked myself incredulously, "Heh heh heh heh..."

"They make a cute couple," said a voice, and I jumped, and whirled around to see an albino, "But they both say they don't like each other. My name is Naomi."

"I'm Yuichi Shindou, Ari's best friend." I said, and I saw an amused look come across Naomi's face.

"Arianna has some things she wants to tell you about her impending death." said Naomi, smirking, then she faded back into the trees, and I just looked back to Ari and Nick.

"Match-maker time." I remarked with a grin.

I walked through the trees, and came out on the beach.

"Aki!" asked Ari, startled as she looked up, "What the heck are you doing here? Where is your group?"

"I got annoyed." I replied flatly, and I sat down on the sand, "And I just met Naomi."

"Great." the both of them muttered in unison.

"Naomi said something you had to tell me, _Ari_, about your _'impending death'_?" I said, giving Ari a pointed look, and Arianna cursed - something she didn't normally do.

"I've got tuberculosis, okay?" Arianna snapped, obviously very annoyed, "I cough up blood. Naomi offered to turn me into a Vampyre so I won't die."

"Well, You're going to accept, _right_?" I demanded.

"Why?" she blinked at me blankly.

"You are so thick." I muttered, rolling my eyes, "Oh well, I guess you're just going to be mean and leave, Chaos, your _boyfriend_ and I all alone."

"What the hell is _with_ you people?" Arianna muttered, prodding the fire, "You're all about to drive me crazy..."

"You're all about to drive _me_ crazy too." said Nick flatly.

"Aww, are you two in denial?" I asked innocently.

"Everyone I know has been taking annoying lessons from Xander." Arianna muttered, standing up, "I'm going to go kill spiders..."

"Oh, no you don't." I said, grinning, and pulling her back down into the sand. Arianna glared at me, crossed her arms, and sniffed. "And _you_ aren't going anywhere either, _Nick_." I simply brought his legs out from under him, and he landed on his back a foot away from Arianna.

"Aki, you're being very..._Naomi-ish_." muttered Arianna as Nick sat up and gave me a look.

"Thank you." I said with a grin, and Arianna rolled her eyes and put her fingers to her temples.

Arianna gave me a look.

"Well," I said, standing up, "I'd better get back to my group, before I'm gone too long." Arianna stood up, as did Nick, but Arianna tried to get away, so I grabbed her by the back of the sheer robe she wore over her bikini with a grin, "Where do you think _you're_ going?" I pushed her at Nick with a grin, and Nick caught her, but I'd managed to judge it so that their lips would meet, and grinning as Arianna moved away, red and looking like she was going to kill me, I ran out of site before she could, "Mission accomplished."

Arianna's POV?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿

"I'm going to strangle her." I muttered, flopping down on the sand, arms crossed.

"What did you mean when you asked Chaos if your father had punished him in some way?" asked Nick.

"Its nothing." I replied flatly as I began poking the fire again, "I didn't know what I was saying."

"Oh yes you did." said Nick, giving me a look, "Personally, whatever it is, I think you _both_ should come out and say it. If you don't tell me about it, I'll probably start bugging Chaos about it."

"..." I still remained silent, my eyes on the fire.

Nick raised an eyebrow, and then sighed and flopped down on his back.

"So, you're not going to tell me?" asked Nick, "Even though I told you _my_ secret?"

"...I think Chaos and my father...er...how should I put it..." I muttered, wincing slightly at the thought.

"You _could_ just say it bluntly." said Nick, "Instead of trying to break it to me gently."

"I think our father raped him." I finally said, and at that Nick came up on his elbows to stare at me in shock.

"You think your own father..." he trailed off.

"He's the exact kind of person who would." I said bitterly, "And with the way Chaos is acting..." I shook my head, "He used to be as stubborn and headstrong as me..."

"Now I can see why you completely lost it when you saw your father..." remarked Nick, shaking his head in disbelief, "And why Chaos _definitely_ looked like he had some issues."

"I'm sure he does." I muttered.

"Your 'father' never did anything to you..._did he_?" asked Nick, giving me a very meaningful look.

"No." I replied simply, "I think he was too scared of me..."

"So you turned your 'father' into a Heartless?" asked Nick.

"Stupid of me as it was, yes." I replied, and Nick gave me a questioning look, "With a heart like his, he has turned into one _powerful_ Heartless. In the wrong hands, he could do _a lot_ of damage. It would have been better if I'd just killed him, actually..." I stared at the fire and prodded it again, then threw my stick in.

"Well, let's hope it didn't fall into the wrong hands." said Nick, standing up and stretching, then grabbing a sleeping bag, "Night."

He squeezed my shoulder comfortingly, and then walked off, and I just walked towards the ocean, watching the waves.

"_Naomi_." I finally said, and she instantly appeared.

"You change your mind, finally?" asked Naomi, "I didn't think it would take you this long."

"I've changed my mind _if_ you can make me a part Vampyre." I replied flatly.

"What makes you think you'll be healed if I only make you a partling?" sniffed Naomi.

"Because I know more about Vampyres than most mortals." I replied with a similar sniff.

"Fine." said Naomi, and before I could say anything, she bit me straight in the neck, in a motioned quicker than I could follow.

She drank a lot of my blood, enough that I simply fell unconscious from blood loss.

?¿?¿?¿

"Well?" asked a voice, as I began waking up, "Isn't she heavy?"

I realized vaguely that I was being easily carried by someone.

"No." said another voice, "Apparently she decided to strike a deal with Naomi, her throat's been bitten."

I began to doze off again, and found myself snuggling closer to whoever was carrying me, for warmth, I was cold, I felt drenched.

"Where'd you find her?" asked a female voice.

"She was half in the water." said the second voice, "Either Naomi thought it'd be funny to leave her in the water, or she left Arianna where she'd get submerged by high tide."

I grumbled something about stupid, dumb-ass Vampyres, and all foots steps stopped, though I was still to groggy to really care., and suddenly I was dumped mercilessly on the ground, and I winced, and opened my eyes a crack, trying to ignore the very bright light after the darkness of having my eyes closed.

"Morning." I muttered, rubbing my eyes, then yawning after I had sat up, shaking sand out of my hair, "What'd I miss?" I yawned again, then stretched, especially my wings that hadn't been stretched in a while.

"How can you be so calm when you've just been turned into a Vampyre?" asked Ceil, staring at me.

"_Part_ Vampyre." I corrected with a shrug, cracking my back, then accepting a hand up from Nick who looked as if he felt guilty for dropping me on the ground, "One does not have to be turned into a full Vampyre to be healed of any ailment." I looked around at the unfamiliar surroundings, and noticed I was still wearing a bikini, so I grabbed my kimono and pulled it on over top.

"Filthy abnormal scum!" yelled a voice ahead, and we all saw a pack of villagers running towards us - all of them wore cerulean blue robes.

"What did you just say!" I yelled, my form shifting on its own, "Oops..." I made a motion with my hand similar to the motion a whip made, and dark energy flew from my hand and engulfed them and threw them very far.

I noticed that the spells to keep away Ansem and Riku's descendants were even more powerful than the day before, and that i felt pretty bad - Nick looked _a lot_ worse than I felt, though.

"Hmm..." I remarked, eyed a stack of very flammable materials as I juggled four black, fire balls between my hands.

"Kill them!" yelled a voice, and more robed people came running at as, "They've kidnapped our leader's daughter!" That must mean Ceil. Ha ha ha...

I threw two fire balls lazily at the oncoming group, and the other ones at the flammable materials, which exploded into lovely black flames.

"Anger management at work." I remarked, wiping my hands together, "They should know better then to leave flammable materials all in one place..."

They just all looked at me incredulously, and we all went into the village. I blew up ten more piles of flammable material by the time we were half way out of the village, and I began to suddenly feel the darkness trying to possess me, so I stopped, and fought, ending up being dragged by both of the boys while I tried to concentrate, and I felt sweat pouring off of me as I did.

Suddenly, I lost conscious.

Nick's POV?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿

Ryu and I dragged Arianna as she tried to plant her feet in one place for some unknown reason, then suddenly she went limp, startling both of us, when we looked, her scales and wings were beginning to show themselves, and her hair was rapidly turning silver.

"Oh great." muttered Ceil, as we began to move away from Arianna, who was beginning to wake up, her eyes red without pupils - just like at Olympus Coliseum.

"Kill the freak!" yelled a voice, and I heard someone running at Arianna from somewhere behind me, and I brought up an arm, catching the person in the temple with an elbow, knocking them unconscious.

"What're we gonna do?" asked Ceil, looking at Arianna, "If we let her run her course, she'll blow up the whole Island!"

"I've no idea." replied Ryu and I in unison.

"Her heritage is half Elven, and half Demon, right?" asked Ryu.

"That's what I heard Chaos saying." replied Ceil.

"Well, now she has Vampyre added to the mix. She had unknown power as a mortal, think of how powerful she could be now." replied Ryu, "I think we'd have to thoroughly shock her to get her to stop."

"Like what?" I asked, "Throw a dead rat in her hair?"

"That might work." said Ceil sarcastically, "She _does_ brush her hair a lot, but where are we supposed to find a dead rat?"

"She looks like she's holding back." remarked Ryu, observing Arianna.

Suddenly there was a shudder of the ground, and Arianna after setting fire to most of the town, fell to her knees, gasping, shaking, and sweating, looking horrified.

Ryu and Ceil rushed forward to her, hauled her up, and we left quickly, disappearing into the forest.

Arianna's POV?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿

I growled as Ceil and Ryu dragged me through a forest, led by Nick.

"You can let go of me now!" I said, "There's nothing else to blow up."

"You mean besides us?" asked Nick, scoffing.

"No." I snapped, then I said slyly, "And _anyways_, I'd get into a lot of trouble by Nightmare if I killed _you_. But anyway, none of y'all's points are high enough for me to try and kill you yet anyway. But why would I feel like killing anybody? I don't _like_ killing people. I'm not _that_ psychotic. This leads me to mourn over what you lot think of me."

I managed to yank out of Ceil and Ryu's grip.

"We should stop here." said Ceil as we reached a beach, "We'll be safe here, and then in the morning, we can try and get to the Secret Place, we'll be safe there."

I didn't say anything and I just sat down and began looking through my backpack for something.

"What are you looking for?" asked Ceil.

"My Tarot cards." I replied simply.

"_Tarot_ cards?" asked Ryu, "Are you serious? And I was thinking you were so much like Ansem that you wouldn't fool around with Hocus Pocus like that?"

"They are not Hocus Pocus." I retorted, "They are very accurate, as long as the one using them has at least some psychic abilities." I found that they had disappeared, and I began listing possible suspects in my head, then I spotted an empty boat, "Why don't we take that and head for this "Secret Place"?" I suggested, "We can rest there. If there are ever any guards there, like on this island, they'll all probably be here, trying to put the fires out."

They actually decided it was a good idea, so we all piled on, and Ceil steered it, while I sat down against a rail, tracing patterns in the wood of the floor.

"Feeling better now that you destroyed the village?" asked a voice as a shadow fell over me, and I craned my neck to see Nick, who was a lot taller than myself _without_ me sitting down.

"No." I muttered, turning my attention back to the floor, and Nick sat down in front of me, "I still have a conscience, much to my colleagues' embarrassment." I winced and pulled a splinter out of my finger, and ceased to poke the floor.

"Well, that's a good thing, anyway." said Nick, "That way, we know you're not _too_ likely to kill us without much thought."

"I don't want to kill... Anybody." I said, before I said anything like "you" or anything, "I'm not that sort of person, believe it or not..."

"You looked like you were fighting yourself." said Ceil from the helm.

"I was." I said with a shrug, "It is _not_ fun, getting possessed by the darkness. The worst part in the eventual memory rush. Painful."

"Land ahoy!" said Ceil cheerily, and I looked around to see, indeed, land ahoy.

Nick stood up, then helped me up, and we all began gathering out things as Ceil anchored the ship at the dock, next to one other ship.

_Okay, long, I know. Depending on what I'm writing, this can be a normal length for me. Anyhoo, review, please. I'll be starting on the next chapter soon. Also, I need y'all to answer a question for me. Uhm... Fro those of you who currently feel like strangling either me or Chaos' father... hands out lots of Evil Demon Father 2000 plushies for people to torture Have fun! hides_

_Its cute how you think I'm listening to you._


	4. Test Four: Offers, Covens, Heartless and

**?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿**

Quest for the Keyblade

Test Four: Offers, Covens, Heartless and Massacres, Oh My!

**?¿?¿?¿**Chaos' POV

I was now with Peter, Kage, Kat and Erik, heading to the Destiny Islands, glad to be away from my sister.

"So..." Kat was looking at me oddly, "You're Arianna's _twin_?"

There was a rough bump, but we all ignored it, and I grabbed my water bottle, which had fallen over.

"Fraternal twin." I replied, rolling my eyes, "She didn't always used to be like this." I sighed, "I used to follow her around everywhere. I think something happened to her while she was alone with the Heartless in Hollow Bastion."

They raised their eyebrows at me.

"What is she usually like then?" asked Kage, slyly, "An innocent little girl who played with Barbie dolls?"

"No." I replied, "She always has been interested in the Heartless, but she _never ever_ had this sort of personality. She would have _never_ joined the Heartless' side. In fact, it shocks me that she joined the Heartless."

I sighed and then griped the edge of my seat as the Gummi Ship jolted again.

"There must be a reason she joined the Heartless." said Erik, matter-of-factly, "Why would someone, unless they're crazy, join the Heartless, unless they had made a deal to get something they want?"

"Nightmare told Yuichi and I that Arianna claimed she hadn't, but she obviously isn't crazy." I said, "What's worse, is Nightmare make it sound like Ari is the one he and all of the other take their orders from. The she actually _admitted_ that she is..." I sighed and shook my head in disbelief, "You're right, there must be _something_ she wants."

"She looked rather lonely, if you ask me. She was quiet, withdrawn, and easily angered. And _very_ touchy." said Kat thoughtfully, "Maybe she made a deal with them to bring you back?"

I shrugged, and stared out a window.

"I don't know." I sighed.

"What did your sister mean when she asked you if your father had punished you?" asked Peter.

"Nothing!" I snapped, obviously and suddenly angry, "He did not punish me!"

They all just stared at me at my tone.

We all continued to chit-chat about various things for a while, getting to know each other, though, Peter kept silent for the greater part of the time, probably because I had snapped at him.

After what seemed like a long time, the Gummi Ship landed, and we got out onto a beach. I noticed a sharp pain through my head, but ignored it, even as I grew nauseous.

"Well, this is certainly different than home." I muttered, "Either one."

We walked down the beach a ways, and then heard chanting.

"We Hail You, Great Sora, We Hail You, Great Kairi! We Wish For You To Accept These Sacrifices And Keep The Heartless Away From This World!" we looked around a tree in time to see what looked like a High Priest dressed in blue robes raising a dagger over a woman with Elven ears, and other priests and priestesses did the same over other non-Human humanoids.

"What are they _doing_!" hissed Peter, "This is crazy! This sort of thing isn't going to keep the Heartless away!"

"We can't interfere, though!" I said, "We'd be meddling!"

"But this is going to far..." said Kage, "We can't just let them kill people like this, can we?"

"You're right." I sighed, feeling stupid, "What are we gonna do?"

Peter was already sneaking up behind the High Priest.

"Hey! Smurf!" yelled Peter, standing a foot behind the Priest, who jumped, yelped, and spun around, and got a gauntlet-encased fist right in the face, and he fell to the ground, unconscious.

"Get the freak!" yelled a woman, who I guessed was a High Priestess.

Kage, Kat, Erik and I all ran out, and we soon managed to knock all of the priests and priestesses unconscious.

The "sacrifices" screamed something about "we were going to bring doom to them all" and ran off screaming, and we just stared at them like they had twenty heads.

"Well," said Kage, "Some thanks. _You're welcome!_"

"All of the priests and priestesses were full human, and didn't look different in any way. And that must mean they use anyone who looks even slightly different, like an Elf, for sacrifices." said Erik, thoughtfully.

"This only happens every fifty years." said a small voice, and they turned to see a woman tied to a tree, wood piled at her feet. The woman looked like she might have been at least part Elven, "They think that by making blood sacrifices of people who are 'impure' to their god and goddess, Sora and Kairi, that they will be able to let their children play in the streets without worrying about the Heartless."

"That's crazy!" exclaimed Kat.

"Yes." agreed the Elven woman, "They are currently combing all of the Islands in search of every individual who isn't Human, or is crippled, or is deformed in some way. Fifty years ago, they killed a three your old girl because her leg was crooked, which made her limp. She was Human."

We stared at the woman in shock.

"If you will untie me, I can take you to my house, we'll be safe there." said the woman, shifting slightly.

I immediately took my scimitar and cut the ropes.

"Thank you." said the woman, and I helped her stand, "Follow me."

**?¿?¿?¿**Erik's POV

"My name is Arwen." said the woman, "I was openly welcomed here after my world was destroyed by the Heartless.

"The Humans here welcome non-Humans openly, deceiving them into thinking they will come to no harm here, but after a while, it becomes apparent we are basically being 'stored', until the Sacrifices take place."

I could tell we were all shocked by that, and Chaos just looked plain horrified.

"How can they do that!" yelled Chaos, "They're as bad as the sultan at home!" He growled and punched a pillow, then began to sulk in a corner.

"They seriously think that by making Sacrifices, that they can keep the Heartless away?" I asked, "Are they _really_ that stupid? Or are they just making up an excuse to kill people who are different?"

"Well..." said Arwen, "They make a journey to what was once called the 'Secret Place' on one of the Islands every year, and when they come back, they say they have conversed with Sora and Kairi, and make some rather odd announcements besides that.

"When they initiate a new Priest or Priestess, they take them to the Secret Place, and when they come back, the new ones' eyes have changed.

"The one thing you'll notice about them all, it that they all have dull gray eyes."

"That is really weird." my sister muttered.

"There must be a Heartless, or someone on one of the two evil sides who is living in that Secret Place." I said, "Someone impersonating Sora and Kairi, perhaps?"

"I was thinking the same thing." said Chaos, "Too bad my sister isn't here then we could ask her."

"Do you _really_ think she'd tell us?" asked Kat, using the same tone she used whenever we were in the presence of Nick, or talking about him.

"Good point." muttered Chaos, then he looked over at Arwen, "Where is this Secret Place?"

"It's about five Islands away from here." replied Arwen, "But it's impossible to get there, unless you're one of the Priests, Priestesses, or are being taken there for initiation."

We all fell silent, thinking, when there was a knock on the door.

Arwen gracefully stood up, and looked out a window, then opened the door.

"Arwen!" said a young Elven girl, "There's _newcomers_ in two of the villages! Priests and Priestesses are trying to kill one of them, a Demi-Elven girl! They're saying she's the reincarnation of Ansem!"

"I'm not surprised." muttered Chaos, and the girl jumped, "My sister has a way of making people, even me, think that."

Arwen introduced us to the girl, who's name was Marie.

"What are we going to do?" asked Kage, "We can't just sit here and watch people get Sacrificed, can we? Its just _wrong_!"

"But we _are_ supposed to _respect_ the customs of other worlds, and not interfere." added Peter, "Not like I give a rats about respecting the customs, really. This is wrong, and we know it is. There's got to be something we can do to make this place better, right?"

"Arwen," I asked, "Why is it that the Humans here seem to be afraid of people who are different?"

"Because once, a long time into their past, they fought with an army formed of Demons, and part Demons." replied Arwen, sighing, "They have always been looking for a reason to kill non-humans, and anyone who is even the slightest bit different, and-

"-Its going to be night soon." said Arwen, interrupting herself, "You should all get some rest, if you're going to try and get to the Secret Place."

We watched Arwen walk out of the room, and we all exchanged looks.

"Maybe we should think about this first?" asked Kat, "We ought to discuss it, before we make any stupid mistakes?"

We all agreed, and began to plan.

**?¿?¿?¿ **Chaos' POV, Next Morning, Dream...

'_We will never let you live here.' said a man with electric blue hair and orange eyes looking at my sister, who was wearing a black, Gothic gown and had her hair up in a bun with a blood red rose sticking through it, 'You belong here,' the man took a step closer to my sister, slipping a finger under her chin, holding her eyes, and she seemed frozen in place, 'You _belong here_ with _me_.' he wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her against him, kissing her softly on the mouth, and before I could see anymore, my vision went blurry, and the scene changed._

_I was now back in Agrabah. Grand. I was six again, and I was hiding because I had tried again to get rid of Jafar's lamp._

_'Chaos!' yelled my father, and I winced as he slammed the door open, and came rampaging in, looking furious, and I saw he had a nine-tailed, bladed whip in his hand, 'You've been a _very bad boy_.' he growled, taking a step toward me, and he grabbed me by the collar ripping my shirt, and he threw me down, and whipped my until I couldn't even speak because of the pain, and the he began walking towards me and-_

"Ughh..." I moaned, rolling over, taking a breath, and sand shot up my nose, and I started sneazing like crazy, and I bolted upright, my eyes watering, "I hate that dream... But was with that guy and my sister?" I growled as I remembered he had kissed _my_ sister.

I looked around and suddenly realized I wasn't in Arwen's house anymore, and there wasn't anyone I recognized around.

I stood up, grumbling to myself, and looked around, and meandered off into the forest, hoping to find something to eat.

After a long time of walking I sat on a log to rest, I heard something snap, and I whirled around to see a woman who must have been at least six feet and eleven inches tall walking towards me, her long, curly silver hair flaring out slight behind her, her orange eyes fixed on me.

"What's wrong, my _dear_ boy?" asked the woman, stopping near me, "You heart _aches_ with sorrow."

She drew a claw-like finger down my cheek and I flinched and drew back.

"That's none of _your_ business." I said firmly, giving her a cold look as I crossed my arms.

I didn't like this woman one bit, she gave me the creeps.

"_Really_? And why is that?" asked the woman, smiling slightly, in a knowing way.

"Because there is _nothing_ wrong with me." I retorted, shortly, eyeing the woman wearily, she freakishly looked like a female version of Ansem.

"Again, your _heart_ says _differently_." sighed the woman, then she smiled again, "_Besides_, how can you be fine when you have such _painful_ memories?"

I stood, up, startled, and stared at her.

"_How do you know about my memories_?" I growled dangerously.

"My dear, _dear_ boy, I am a _Dream Seer_, so I know many things. Now, may I have your name? It's _only_ polite."

"...Chaos Raisur Black." I replied, grudgingly.

She literally grinned, showing teeth. It wasn't a very nice smile, it didn't even reached her eyes, and it made you feel cold, not happy.

"I am Corellyn Jorir Synith." said the woman with a graceful bow, "_Pleased to meet you, Master Black._"

"Same here." I replied sarcastically, then I crossed my arms, "_Why are you here_?"

Corellyn raised an eyebrow, a falsely hurt expression on her face, "I am _only_ here to _help_. You are on the Quest for the Keyblade, no?"

"...I am." I replied wearily, uncrossing my arms and tapping my foot.

"And you guard Jafar's lamp." said Corellyn with a soft, almost mother-like smile - almost, "Do you wish you could get rid of it? Haven't you wished that you could forget everything? What your father has _done_ to you, all the hurt, the pain, the_ suffering_?"

"Why?" I asked, now growing curious, despite the creepy vibes I was getting from this woman.

"Because I can _help_ you, of course!" said Corellyn, with a smile, "I _did_ say I was here to help you, did I not?"

"What's the catch?" I asked, crossing my arms again, and giving her a look.

"I could grant you _infinite power_." said Corellyn, motioning with her arms, "And by doing as I say, you will forget your memories. You would no longer be the weak one. You could even use the Heartless your _sister_ loves so _much more than you_ against her!"

"I asked, what's the catch?" I repeated, annoyed.

"...All I need of you is for you to surrender yourself to the darkness." replied Corellyn after a moment.

"Like I would ever do that!" I snapped automatically.

"I knew you would say that, unlike your sister, you actually have a heart..." sighed Corellyn, "But remember, you will always carry the burden of those memories. And no matter what you think, _you sister does not care about you_."

"That's a lie!" I yelled.

"You will see, child." said Corellyn with a small smile, "Just think about my offer. Should you change your mind, _just call my name_."

With that she suddenly disappeared.

"Chaos!" yelled a voice, and suddenly, startled, I saw _Ari_ running towards me, and she tackled me in a giant glomp, "Peter just walked by me and said you all got separated- What's wrong? You look..." she tilted her head, "_Haunted_, for lack of a better term."

I repeated what that woman had just said to me and Arianna growled.

"What the hell does Synith think she's doing?" muttered Arianna, "What is her obsession with Ansem and our family...?"

"You know her?" I asked.

"She's a Dream Seer like she said, which is a good asset to 'the group'. I suspected she was planning something, though. I could see it in her eyes." Arianna sighed and shook her head, then looked at me again, "Two questions. One, are you haunted by a male who could be your twin just has a weird hair color and a weird eye color? And two, I was right, wasn't I? Why didn't you just tell me? I _am_ your sister, I _do_ care, no matter what that bitch says."

"How did you know about my..._haunt_?" I asked, staring at her.

"I have one too. She's got green hair and purple eyes." replied Arianna, "She's a psycho-path. I swear, I think she's going to drive me crazy. And anything that happens to her happens to me..."

"Mine had gold hair and freaky yellow-green eyes." I said, "And..._yes_. You were right..." Suddenly Ari grinned like she used to when she was a young girl when she would get an idea, and I saw she had fangs.

"You're a Seer too, aren't you?" she said, grinning, "I can tell, there's something else bothering you!"

"Uh..." I explained the dream from earlier, and she stared at me in shock, and then I enquired about the fangs, and her face went red.

"Well.." she cleared her throat, looking uncomfortable, "Ever since I was young I've had this disease, where I cough up blood, it would have eventually killed me...except someone turned my into a...Vampyre."

"But you _hate_ Vampyres!" I said, "You've _always_ hated Vampyres!"

"And I still do... But I'm not dead, so, I guess I'm happy..." I noticed the down look on her face, and gave her a look, "What?"

"No you're not. What's wrong?" I asked.

"...look, its just everyone I've ever trusted ends up turning on me. Our parents, our old friends who now live elsewhere, my ex, Xander-" she clamped a hand over her mouth and I stared at her, and then grinned.

"You...and _him_?" I started laughing, and her face went beet red.

"If you tell Aki I think I'll tickle you to death." said Ari, "But yeah. I get betrayed a lot."

"Why are you siding with the Heartless? What do you have to gain from it?" I asked her, and she sighed and leaned back against a tree.

"Well..." she shook her, then looked back up, "The Heartless seemed to be the only way I could keep an eye on my loved ones, and learn what was going on in other worlds...and they also promised me that by helping them...I would find you again, and...find more people who love me. Like that's happened. Everyone hates me, and now Corellyn is trying to get you to turn on me, and Aki is off at me...and..." I saw her eyes were tearing up, "And I'm losing myself to the darkness more and more...and each time it's harder to come back. I...nearly leveled one of the villages earlier, along with my group! But...I almost _enjoyed_ it! And...there's a voice thats always whispering things to me...horrible things it wants me to do..." she looked up at me, tears still filling her eyes, "Y-you don't...you don't hate me...do you?" I sighed and wrapped my arms around her and hugged her, and she burst out crying in my shoulder, and I just rubbed her back, and told her everything was going to be okay.

I looked at one of her shaking hands, and saw raw looking red scars across her wrists, and stared. She'd been reduced to _cutting_ herself? That was _very_ out of character for her!

"Ari, people don't hate you." I said, holding her tighter, "People are just weary of you because you're so powerful. You're intimidating at times."

"People _do_ hate me!" insisted Ari, still holding onto me as well, "Mom and dad hated me, and took you away from me because of it, I rescued Aki from her homeworld, because Immortals were attacking her and the Heartless showed me that, but she found out I was in alliance with the Heartles, and now _she_ hates me! _Xander_ hates me, or else he wouldn't have cheated on me. Nick and the rest of my group hate me just because I'm related to Ansem!"

"No one hates you." I said soothingly, "They just don't understand you, Ari."

Ari sniffed and pulled away, wiping at her eyes, and I saw instead of water she'd cried blood.

"I hate my life." sniffed Ari, "But now that I'm a ing Vampire I don't even know how to bloody kill myself. That was the good thing when I was mortal. I knew what could kill me. Stakes, silver, garlic and crosses don't work. I tried burning myself, but I don't even feel heat from fire."

"Don't even _think_ of killing yourself!" I exclaimed, shaking her by the shoulders, then I had to cover my mouth as I started coughing, and Ari stared at me, suddenly worried, forgetting about herself in an instant.

"You're sick." said Ari, pulling my hand away from my mouth, "Same disease I had... How long has this been going on?"

"Since I was four..." I replied reluctantly.

"Since you were four!" yelped Ari, "That's not good! You're further along than I was!"

"If I die I die." I muttered, "I don't want to leave you here like this, but I can't see a way around it. And if I died I could forget about all those memories..." I shuddered.

"I won't let you die. I won't." said Ari, crossing her arms stubbornly and pouting, "And don't take that attitude towards death. And it's not healthy to hold those kind of memories in, Chaos. Have you even let out all of your feelings about them? Have you confided in all of your loved ones? You haven't, have you?" I shook my head, and Ari sighed, "Chaos, you _have_ to let it all out, or else you'll go crazy like I nearly did, and you'll begin thinking of going over to the darkness like I did. I'm _lucky_ I still have my heart, Chaos, however frozen its become, its still there."

I sighed and sat down next to her, and then began coughing again.

"Chaos..." Ari said, and then she sighed, "Do you know how long you've got left? No? I'd say about a month. A month and a half at the _most_. Once I found out I had the disease, I did research on it. You're practically dead if you don't do something about it."

"Like what-" I started to ask, then I stared at her, "You're offering me _immortality_?"

"Yes." replied Ari with a shrug, then she grinned and slung an arm around my shoulders, "What are older sisters for!"

"You're only two minutes older." I said, giving her a look.

"So? I'm still older. I have more experience with the world." she said in a lecturing tone, and I shoved at her with a laugh, and she pretended to be indignant about it, and we squabbled like adults until we were on the ground laughing.

"I don't know..._immortality_..." I said as we both lay on out back and stared up at the trees.

"Its better then dieing before you can do anything for the worlds." said Ari, "This is basically my second chance to make thing right. Consider it, having all eternity to try and make the world a better place...

"Oh! By the way, I did tell all of the Heartless who are faithful to me who to not attack, so all of the groups are safe. But..."

"But what?" I asked, sitting up and looking at her.

"Zeuxis, the purple suit guy, has his _own_ Heartless here. And they are _strong_. I mean, four Behemoths strong!" said Ari, "And one other thing... I accidentally turned our father into a Heartless... And with all that darkness... He's probably very powerful. And the problem is, I can't find him. I think Zeuxis got him..."

I stared at her, then gulped at the thought of how powerful he would be.

"Ari..." I said slowly, and she looked up at me, "How much does it hurt? Being bitten, that is?"

Ari sat up and looked at me.

"It only hurts like hell at first, but then you become weak, and you hardly feel a thing." replied Ari, still looking at me, "It sort of good on an emotional level, because Vampyres, some of them, at least, are very emotional creatures, and it helps you get out everything you've been feeling."

"...I think...I want you to turn me." I finally said, "I don't wanna die anymore."

"You're sure about this...?" asked Arianna, and I nodded, and Ari sat up on her knees, "Alright. Just...try to relax, its better if you're not tense. Oh, and, don't try to resist."

Before I could even blink, in a move faster than lightening, Arianna's fangs had sunken into my neck, and I gasped in pain, but then I became weak like she said I would.

**?¿?¿?¿ **Kage's POV

I stared from behind a bush as Arianna _bit_ her brother, and by the look of it, it hurt like hell, too. Well, duh... Of course it did!

I watched as Arianna made Chaos drink her blood, and eventually have to wrench herself away from Chaos, wincing, and then she said something to him, and after he had gotten something out by bawling his eyes out, they hugged, and Arianna ran off in a speed faster than I could watch, and suddenly she was standing next to me.

"He's going to get _really_ thirsty in about thirty seconds." said Arianna, giving me a look, "And believe me, you _don't_ want to get bitten by a new, thirsty Vampyre, so." She grabbed me, there was a very dizzying sensation, and we were standing with Peter, Erik and Kat, "I'll let you fill them in. But don't worry, he's still the same." She disappeared.

"What the hell!" yelped Erik.

"Someone turned her into a Vampyre..." I gawked, "And Chaos just got her to turn him into one..."

After a long time of waiting, Chaos came back.

"How the hell did I end up on a beach away from you guys?" asked Chaos, scratching his head as he flopped down next to us on the ground.

"No idea. We woke up somewhere else too." replied Kat, "We should try to figure out what's going on these Islan-"

"Kill the freaks!" roared a voice, and suddenly a man robed in a deeply hooded blue cloak came running into the clearing alongside a Heartless that had the head of a dragon, then wings of a pegasus, the body of a leopard, the legs of an elephant, and the tail of a scorpion, "Drascorpard! Destroy them!"

"Uh-oh..." said Erik, and he withdrew a white sword from its black sheath, and adopted a stance.

A staff with the wood painted black, on top was a rotating crystal with a heart with a white sparkling light in the center of the heart. A floating golden circle with ancient runes inscribed in it surrounding it appeared in Kat's hands.

Chaos drew a blue-steel scimitar with black hilt from its sheath, and warily eyed the Heartless.

Peter let the retractable claws from one of his gauntlets out, and in his other hand, he held what look at first like a hilt, but suddenly a red energy blade formed from the hilt.

And I gripped her kunai, ready to attack the Heartless.

"That thing is big." said Chaos, "Ari was right, there _are_ Heartless here not under her control."

Before we could reply, we all had to jump out of the way as the "Drascorpard" hurled itself into our midst, trying to bite, stomp and sting us all at once.

I growled as the Drascorpard tried to bite me, and I threw a kunai at its head, and the kunai shattered.

Before I could say anything to the others, one of Peter's claws broke, Chaos' scimitar shattered and Erik's sword shattered.

The only ones who had their weapons still were Kat and Peter, with his energy sword.

We all dodged as the Drascorpard blew fire at us, and I scowled.

"Peter and I will have to see if we can do anything to it." said Kat, "Looks like its element is fire, so water should work against it."

Peter just growled and sliced the Drascorpard with his sword, and cut off the tail, making the Drascorpard turn on him.

"Watera!" yelled Kat, bringing her staff around in a full circle, and suddenly the heart went sapphire blue, and a stream of fast moving water shot out of it, and the heart changed back to its clear, light pink color.

The Drascorpard screamed in agony, and then Peter leapt at it, and cut its head off, releasing five hearts.

"Damn you!" yelled the cloaked man, and he charged at us, then suddenly he stopped half way, and fainted.

We looked around, and saw a _giant_ Heartless. It was at least eighty feet tall, and fifty feet from finger to finger. It was totally black, with intricate veins of red, purple, blue, green and silver, and its eight eyes, which were set in a human-shaped head, were yellow.

It had eight arms shaped like muscular human arms, had the chest of a man, and the abdomen of a spider, and unlike the Black Widow spider, this Heartless had Ansem's seal on his abdomen.

It had twelve black Demon wings, with the colors that ran through its body running through them.

The Heartless opened its mouth and let out a blood-curdling scream, showing a mouthful of both fangs, and spider-like mandibles behind those.

With one of its eight arms, it picked up the man who had fainted, and popped the man in its mouth, there was a sickening crunch, and blood splattered us.

I noticed that Chaos had gone incredible pale, and was stuttering something.

**?¿?¿?¿ **Chaos' POV

We were in deep shit. One, most of us had no weapon. Two, that Heartless looked _really_ familiar.

"That's..." I gulped, and the others turned to me, "My..._father_." They all stared at me.

"Okay, normally," said a female voice from somewhere behind us, "I _don't_ help humans. But you're not ready for this."

Suddenly someone grabbed us, and there was a dizzying sensation, and we were standing in the village of an island, and before I could turn around to see who had helped us, she was gone.

"What happened here...?" started Peter, staring at the ruins of the village.

Buildings were burned, other building looked like they'd been flooded, others had fallen into cracks in the earth, and yet others, were half frozen, and finally, spilt as if my wind or lightening. Possibly both.

"Oh _great_." I muttered, and I put my head in a hand, "She said she _nearly_ destroyed a village. _Nearly_!"

"Maybe she didn't remember- She did this!" yelped Erik.

"Of course she did." said a voice, and we turned to see Nightmare, "She's losing herself to the darkness, _especially_ with what she has become. But the trials have only just started."

"I never really thought she'd lose this much control, though." said a voice, and I spotted Xander, "She use to have a lot more control. Of course, _both_ of you have this much potential, as does Nightshade."

"Chaos, you really _should_ join us." said Nightmare, "With_ you,_ you're sister and Nightshade, we would be _unstoppable._"

"No thanks." I snapped, and I saw Xander raised a curious eyebrow at my tone, "I don't consort with like you! And my _sister_, may be a Demon, and Elf, your leader, and a Vampyre, but that doesn't mean she completely bad!" Without another word, I stalked straight past them and towards a dock, noting the incredibly shocked expressions that crossed Xander and Nightmare's faces.

**?¿?¿?¿** Elsewhere, Xander's POV...

"Arianna." I said, walked into the castle of Hollow Bastion along with Nightmare.

"Leave me the alone." snapped Arianna, not looking up from where she sat on the edge of a railing, her legs pulled up, her hand against her face, her fingers in her bangs.

"Who turned you?" I demanded, pulling her down from the railing, even though I was pretty sure she wouldn't jump.

"..._Naomi_." snapped Arianna, crossing her arms, and I noticed the hating look in her eyes at the name.

"_Naomi_ convinced you to not let yourself die?" asked Nightmare, shocked, and Arianna gritted her teeth.

"Both of you," Arianna grabbed us both by the collar, nearly choking us both, "Get out of here, right now, before I get even more murderous than I am feeling right now. And I _will_ kill you both and a lot of others if my previous disease is mentioned again." I would have protested, but I noticed something in her eyes I had never seen before, and couldn't find a name for, so I just nodded, and she released us, well, tossed us, at the wall, and perched on the rail again.

"This is bad." I muttered as I appeared in my own world, Dauthrmir, and walked down into the dungeon of the first Vampyre.

"This is becoming rather bothersome." said Rabere Inej Derkesthai, glaring at me, "Really, I didn't know you had become so rusty at this torture business, though."

I rolled my eyes at the insult, and unlocked the door, and entered the cell where I had hung him upside down with three-inch thick spikes through his heels.

"We've got problems." I said, giving him a meaningful look, "Naomi."

"What about her?" asked Rabere, his expression changing from bored to worried.

"She's changed that girl I have been informing you about." I said, and Rabere growled at that, "Plus, the girl has officially demolished one of the villages on the Destiny Islands, I don't know which one, so I can't say whether its a good thing or not, _and_ she has already turned her brother. Not to _mention_," I began with a smirk, "Just about _everyone_ is trying to get the girl, and Nightshade together." At _that_ Rabere managed to break free of his bonds, and rip the spikes out of his heels.

"She had better not turn him." said Rabere, "In fact, she had better not decide she's in love with him either."

"_Why_," I asked slyly, "Because she is your _soul-mate_?"

"Not only that, but if she turns someone, like him, who can't deal with eternity, we'll have yet _another_ insane Vampyre on our hands." replied Rabere, standing up after his heels had healed, "And if she _does_ decide she loves him, I can wait for her. I might as well allow her to be in love with a mortal for as long as possible. _After all_, if I killed him, she would probably _never_ fall in love with me. I _could_ always get her to fall in love with me first, though."

I shook my head in disbelief, he was always so logical.

"Xander!" yelled a voice, and I winced. Corellyn, "Ahh, and _Rabere_ too." Corellyn suddenly appeared, and I saw the wary glare that Rabere spared her, before he went back to dusting himself off indignantly.

"What?" I asked flatly.

"The only way we are going to get my should-be son to join us, like his sister did, is if we convince him she doesn't care about him." said Corellyn lazily.

"So? You have those doubles of Arianna." I said, "Just use one of them."

"And how am I supposed to get the real her out of the way?" asked Corellyn, "We already _know_ that _you_ can't keep her occupied, since she practically hates you. Then again, she thinks you hate her, so that might be why... But we need some way to keep her..._distracted_."

"_I_ could do that." said Rabere, "I'm _quite_ sure I could."

"Good. We will wait until this Test is over, and then I will transport her here." said Corellyn, and suddenly she dissapeared.

**?¿?¿?¿** Chaos' POV

We had finally gotten to the Island, which held the Secret Place, and I got the shit scared out of me as Arianna appeared in front of me, and she yelped.

"Chaos!" she yelped, and by the incredibly guilty look on her face, she had remembered what she had done.

"I can't blame you. They were all from that 'coven'." I said before she could say anything, and she grumbled.

"Come on, last I checked, the others were cooking some fish." Arianna shoved her hands in her pockets, and I made a worried face at her back, there was something different in her eyes.

"Well, at least she doesn't _like_ massacres." sighed Kage, unlike a lot of Demons and part Demons.

"WHY DIDN'T YOU TELL ME WHAT THE HELL I DID!" we all heard Arianna bellow at someone or someone's, and we ran in the direction to find her and Nick yelling their lungs out at each other.

"I FIGURED YOU KNEW! YOU SEEMED TO ENJOY IT SO DAMN MUCH, AFTER ALL!" yelled Nick, and I saw that Ceil and Ryu both had an identical "here they go again" look.

"Want some fish?" asked Ceil, looking up at us, and waving a skewered sea bass around, "There's plenty for everyone, well, everyone who doesn't have too big of an ego to feed, that is."

"HOW DARE- WHAT THE HELL IS THAT SUPPOSED TO MEAN!" Air and Nick both yelled in unison, and then the looked at each other in horror.

"I think its the spells that are supposed to keep descendants of Ansem and Riku away." said Ryu, "They've _been_ like this since..." he thought for a moment, "Since Naomi, then Yuichi tried to say that they liked each other."

"Speaking of Aki..." Ari growled, cracking her knuckles, "I wish she'd hurry up and get here, I have some..." she smirked, and glanced slightly at Peter, "_Revenge_ to deal out."

"Amazing." I remarked, "Not kill her? Wow... WAIT A MINUTE! PEOPLE ARE TRYING TO GET YOU AND...AND...AND...**_HIM_**...TOGETHER!"

"Great, more affects of spells." muttered Peter, and he flopped down on the sand and grabbed a fish.

"Have you guys been to the Secret Place yet?" asked Kat, looking at Ari's group.

"No." replied Arianna, crossing her arms and completely ignoring Nick, "We thought it would be better to wait for everyone else. The coven goes in there, and they come out..._differently_. We've been spying for about a day. Its weird. Its a lot different then the normal 'fallen into darkness' that the Heartless usually cause."

"And you should know." snapped Nick.

"**_Care to say that again?_**" growled Arianna, dangerously, cracking her knuckles.

"You should know what its like to fall into the darkness, and have no heart." repeated Nick.

Arianna growled, went to attack him, but I grabbed her, and suddenly a woman with silver hair, and Xander and Nightmare appeared and grabbed her as well.

"She has a heart, that's her single fault." said Xander, giving Nick an eerily hating look.

Suddenly, Arianna wrenched out of the grip of all of us, and I saw her scales were sticking straight up, her eyes were solid red again, and pupil-less, and her hair was pure silver.

In a flash, even to my heightened Vampyre sight, Arianna was straddling Xander, crushing his esophagus, her nails cutting his throat open as if she was literally trying to rip it out.

Xander, being an older and stronger Vampyre, though, managed to rip her hand off of his throat, pin her to the ground, and suddenly, making me feel incredibly like an over-protective older brother, he kissed her, _obviously_ frenching her, and even though it me off, I was glad to see that that snapped the real her back into her place.

I began tapping a foot as I waited for Arianna to shove him off of her, as was Naomi, but she didn't in fact, it looked like she was _kissing him back_!

Finally, annoyed, Naomi and I grabbed Xander and yanked him away with enough force that he went flying, and a portal suddenly opened up and he went through it.

"I _hate it_ when he does that." growled Arianna, sitting up, dusting herself off, and looking very indignant.

"_Really_?" I asked, and she looked at me, and raised an eyebrow, "Could have fooled me. You looked like you were _enjoying it _quite a bit."

"Jeez, with that tone, you almost sound like you're jealous of me. Sheesh." muttered Arianna, "I think I'll go see what's in that cave now."

Before we could react, she was out of sight.

"Is that guy always like that?" asked Nick, who had a weird look on his face.

"Yes." replied Naomi and Nightmare in unison, "_Literally_ all the time."

"Grand." I muttered, "How does one go about killing a Vampyre? I would _really_ like to know now."

"Kill his or soul-mate, if you can fine the soul-mate." replied Naomi, "Otherwise, you can't, as far as even the _first_ knows."

"So," I said, flopping down on the sand, "What do we know about this coven?"

"They hate people who are different looking or acting then normal humans." began Ceil, "They worship someone or something in the Secret Place. That's about it. Maybe they're possessed?"

"I hope they aren't possessed, because if they are, Ari is going to be devastated if she find out that she really just destroyed a town of innocent people." I said.

"She might close herself off entirely if that happens..." remarked Nightmare, "That wouldn't be good. She can deal with Immortality, but I don't think she'd be able to deal with slaughtering that many innocents."

"Speaking of Immortality," said Erik, "How are our Vampyre friends supposed to feed?"

"Arianna and I both have three things in common," said Naomi, "One, we're Vampyres, two, we foolishly dated Xander, and three, Ari is feeding off of only criminals, like I used to."

I remained silent, then I decided to try to teleport, and it worked.

**?¿?¿?¿** Kat's POV...

Ceil, Kage and myself were all sitting in the "girls" tent, talking, though, I was just really thinking about the tests.

"Kat," said Ceil, and I glanced up, "Where are you from? What's it like?"

"Me and my brother, Erik, are from Twilight town. Just like Erik's _'friend'_, Nick is." I replied, "Twilight Town isn't much different from Traverse Town, but its a lot bigger, and there's this huge clock tower. I teach in the high school in Twilight Town. And my other job is worrying about my brother being friend with that Nick kid."

"You don't like Nick?" asked Kage, "I don't like Ryu, for...reasons. But I can't see why you don't like Nick."

"Me neither." said Ceil.

"I _hate_ how he thinks he is the best warrior ever." I said flatly, "He is so arrogant!"

"_Tell_ me about it." said Arianna, then muttered under her breath, "Then again, I'm one to talk." She flopped down on the fourth bed and stared at the top of the canopy, and I noticed blood staining her shirt completely.

"What happened to you...?" asked Ceil, lightly prodding Arianna's gut, and Arianna cried out and cringed in obvious pain, and also jumped to her feet and out of the way.

"Its nothing." said Arianna, tears in her eyes from the pain, and we all gave her a look. She creeped me out thoroughly, but still, she was hurt, and if something happened to her, her sweet brother would be devastated.

"Ari?" Chaos peeked in, and gaped at all of the blood on her shirt.

"I don't feel to good..." muttered Arianna, and she swayed and Chaos, Ceil and Kage had to hold her up.

"Get her outside to the fire." I ordered, and I stripped her shirt off, since I knew she was wearing a bikini top underneath.

We dragged her outside, literally, since she had gone limp, even though she was conscious, and conversation at the fire stopped. Nick, thankfully, was nowhere to be found.

"What happened?" asked Ryu, Chaos, Ceil and Kage set the very pained Arianna down on a blanket in the sand, and I saw she was crying in pain, but wasn't making a single sound.

"I went into the Secret Place." choked Arianna and I looked a her mauled gut, "There's _something_ there. It looks like Sora at first, then it changes into a Heartless. OH !" she then yelled in pain as I pulled a ten-inch long claw out of her gut.

"What's all the-" started Nick, annoyed, looking out of the boys' tent, "...noise? What the hell? Aren't _Vampyres_ supposed to heal?"

"Not here." I said, "I think it has to do with those spells against descendants from Riku and Ansem. Make yourself useful and go get some _fresh_ water. If you get salt water, I'll kill you."

"Sheesh." muttered Nick, and he dissapeared for a moment, then walked out in his pants with his feet and chest bare.

I pulled ten more claws from Arianna's gut, before I noticed a green-ish liquid that saturated her wounds.

"Those darn teeth are venomous." said Arianna, before I could ask, "And have se edges..."

"You shouldn't talk." I said, grabbing my back pack, and grabbing a mortar and pestle from it, along with a bunch of different herbs, "I'm going to give you something to-" I started, pulling out a needle, but as soon as she saw it, she fainted.

"She doesn't like needles." said Chaos, "Just like she doesn't like spiders."

"What bit her this time?" asked Nick, setting two pails of water down next to me, and he picked up one of the teeth, "A basilisk?"

"A Heartless." replied Chaos, "In the cave, and it just so happens to be venomous."

"None of her books mention a poisonous Heartless." said Kage, walking over with a six-inch thick book, "Not a single thing. All these other Heartless we've run across aren't in here either."

I remained silent, and began the messy business of cleaning up Arianna's gut and shoulders, and when I looked up, I saw a tall male figure in the shadows, and before I could say anything, he was suddenly gone, so I went back to my work.

**?¿?¿?¿ **Next Day, Peter's POV...

"When do you think Yuichi's group will get here?" asked Chaos for about the millionth time, since he had been biting his nails in worry about something.

"No idea, why?" I asked.

"Because she's been acting really weird towards Ari lately." replied Chaos, "A lot different than Ari had told me she acted... And they seem to be taking a really long time..."

"Relax. Yeesh." said Nick, "I either one would kill the other. Sure, your sister is a bitch, but it's understandable, if you think about it. And besides, I'm told Arianna saved Yuichi's life, _with_ the help of the Heartless, because the Heartless informed Arianna of Immortals attacking Yuichi and her family."

"Its just... Grr... The longer they're out there, the more likely they are to get sacrificed! And the longer we wait, the more likely that Heartless will come out of the Secret place, and kill us!"

"It can't." said Kat, walking up, "Arianna says its sensitive to all forms of light. Sun or moon. Even stars or something as small as a fiber-optic light."

"She went in there without a light?" asked Nick, rolling his eyes, "She got her karma, then."

Chaos punched Nick straight in the face at that.

"Oh, stop it, children." said Arianna, flopping down on the sand, "As for Aki, I'd be willing to bet that she is lost somewhere, alone. Alone, probably because someone called her Aki." She grabbed a cup of tea and drank it like a shot, "The less-likely reason would be that her ship had trouble like mine did…"

There was a rumble, and suddenly the Heartless that was Chaos and Ari's father suddenly loomed over us, and Arianna went literally white.

"Not _again_." I muttered, wondering how we were supposed to get away from it again, when Ari fainted.

"She...doesn't like spiders." said Chaos.

"_Hello, Chaos._" said the Heartless suddenly, and we all stared at the _talking_ Heartless.

**?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿Authoress' Notes¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿**

**Atrum Angelus: Okay, I _think_ that was a bit evil...**

**Rabere: What's worse, is the next chapter is from Aki's group, so they won't find out until a lot later in the fifth chapter.**

**Xander: Meaning you're going to get tortured if you take so long, _again_.**

**Atrum Angelus: Speaking of which... to the audience I _am_ sorry about the wait. I had a terrible writers block for this chapter until Switchblazer sent me some very inspiring ideas.**

**So, I must that Nick's creator repeatedly until I annoy him! J/k.**

**But anymoo... Just as I little note, it may take me a while to get chapter five out, _because_ I am going to Virginia at the end of this month. Then again, I might get chapter five out, and it'll be the next chapter that'll take so long (since the 9th and 10th I'm _probably_ going to my first Renaissance Festival).**

**I _will_ try to get chapter five out before I go to Virginia.**

**Also, another thing that will begin delaying me sometime after July 23, is that we're getting a new puppy, and I will be forced to go to sleep and nine pm opposed to 3:45 am, and forced to get up at 6:00am every gawrsh darn day. But anymoo. I'll shut up now.**

**Please tell me how this chappie came out!**

**The evil, rabid porcupines stole my sanity and sold it on E-Bay.**


	5. Test Five: Turmoil

?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?

Okay y'all. I fixed my damn computer (sort of), and I've got a new chapter! Drum roll pleas! The final chapter for the Destiny Islands! Sorry if it isn't up to my usual standards...another reason this took so long is because of a terrible writer's block I had for this story. Well, I can look on the bright side, I managed to write six chapters for an original I might try to get published, so yeah. Anyway, I'll let you read, now. And hopefully the other chapters will come more quickly! Though I might edit out some pairings, not sure, they're good ideas, but I'm still not able to see how I can work them in, so yeah.

If anyone wants to discuss this story...AIM me a PuppetOfDark.

Wheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!

?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?

Quest for the Keyblade

Test Five: Turmoil

?¿?¿?¿Aki's POV

We had all gotten along pretty well, at first, and now we were on the Destiny Islands, on the Island with the "so called", wondering what the hell was going on. The only thing that had gone wrong was one of them had called me Aki, but then when I stormed off, I got to tease Ari, so I was sort of happy. Then again, the Sacrifices were wrong too, so yeah.

Amber was currently off somewhere, thinking, I guess. After all she lived here, surely she had something to go over in her head about these Sacrifices.

"This island is really deserted." said Soma, walking around, and then stopping, "I wonder why there weren't any guards here? The people in the village said no one was allowed here."

"Didn't you see the fire on the other island?" asked Jean, "They all probably went to try and put it out."

I was just looking around, floating in the water a few yards away from the beach.

"You okay, Yuichi?" called Drake from the beach, where he was sifting sand through his hands, "You've been very quiet, and you weren't like that when you and Arianna first came to Traverse Town."

"I'm just...upset." I replied, sitting down on the beach, "I mean, she's siding with the _Heartless!_ I just feel..._betrayed_."

"Why? Because she didn't tell you?" asked Jean, "She sometimes seems to have more than one personality, if you ask me."

"I know." I muttered, "Maybe she _does_. After all, sometimes she has a hard time telling reality from dream!" I grumbled and stabbed at the sand with my scimitar, "When I get my hands on her... She's going to give me some answers! Well...some _more_ answers..."

"Why don't we go into that cave and see what's in there?" asked Amber, walking back to us, and pointing at an opening in the side of the waterfall, "We can't just let people be sacrificed, can we?"

We all went silent for a moment, then agreed, and stood up, dusting sand off of our pants.

"I wonder what it is that is in there?" asked Drake.

"Who knows?" I asked.

We walked through the passageway, and I instantly began to feel uneasy.

_"Who Treads Upon The Temple Of Sora And Kairi?"_ asked what sounded like two voices, a male an a female, _"To Trespass On This Soil Means To Bring Upon You Our Wrath."_

"Who are you!" yelled Jean.

_"We Are Sora And Kairi! The Great Ones! Do You Not Know Of Your Own God And Goddess!"_

We walked farther into the room and saw this huge..._thing_. It was twice the size of a Behemoth, but looked half man and half woman - _literally_. It was black with lightening bolt patterns of purple and blue running through it, and right there on its chest, was the same tattoo Arianna had on her arm - the seal of Ansem.

_"Leave Now, Mortals!"_ growled the..._It_.

"What is going on here?" demanded Amber.

Instead of answering the thing swiped at us, and we had to leap back.

I yelled and charged at it without thinking, and it caught me across the gut with a clawed fist and sent me hurling into a wall headfirst. And just before I fell unconscious, there was a bright flash of light.

?¿?¿?¿ Later...

"Aki? Aki? Yoo-hoo?" called a voice, and then my eyes popped open.

"Huh? What happened?" we were on the Gummi Ship, I looked out the window, and saw we were on an unfamiliar beach.

"I dunno." replied Soma, "What's weird is, this all looks so much different..."

"Something screwy is going on." said Amber.

"...Lets go re-find the island." I muttered, my hands in my pockets, and I opened the door.

We walked for a long time, and then came across a smoldering fire, then suddenly, there was a noise, and when I tuned around, the others were gone.

"Amber? Drake? Jean? _Soma?_ _Anybody_? Hellooo?" I looked around, startled. Where had they disappeared to?

I looked and looked for them, but never found them, so I began my search of a way to get off of this island.

I walked a few hours around the island, and ended back where I started. I let out a frustrated noise, and went a different way, and once again, I ended up in the same place.

Finally, I sat down with a growl, and thought.

?¿?¿?¿ Amber's POV

I looked around - Soma and I were the only ones here...Wherever "here" was...

"Where'd everybody go...?" asked Soma, looking around worriedly - we were stuck in a cave, but couldn't go anywhere because there was a lot of deep water surrounding the island thing we were on, and every once and a while, there was a large cluster of spikes, followed by a tail splash.

"I dunno..." I replied, "Let's just figure out how to get out of here first..."

We thought for a while, when suddenly the slab of rock we were sitting on began to sink. I happened to look up and see the vines hanging from the ceiling.

"Go for the vines!" I said, pointing up, and we both leapt up, grabbing the vines, and began working our way towards the next landform, and we nearly didn't make it.

We dropped down and landed on the rocks, and began looking for the exit, and after a while, and a few wrong turns, we found it.

"Where in the world should we go...?" muttered Soma.

"I dunno." I said, let's go see if we can find the others, how about that." I said.

The forest was almost all palm trees and vines, the ground was, for the most part, bare, and filtered yellow light came through between the trees. After a long tome of walking, we passed gigantic waterfalls, and then, finally, came out onto the sandy shore of the island, and saw Yuichi, looking extremely...frustrated.

"Yuichi!" I called, and I waved a hand, and she looked up, and we ran over to her.

"Are you okay?" asked Soma, looking at his cousin.

"Yes, **except for the fact that I can't go anywhere without ending up in the same stupid place!**" Yuichi yelled.

"Well, Yuichi's big mouth led us to you guys!" said a voice, and we all looked around to see Drake and Jean walk up.

"We found a boat that can take us to the island with this 'Secret Place'." said Jean, walking past Drake, and coming to stand with us, "We should hurry."

?¿?¿?¿ Aki's POV

We had arrived on the island, and we all yelped when we saw the others all fighting a huge Heartless, but before we could do anything, it disappeared into a portal...and then Ari spotted me and tackled me to the ground.

"What the hell took you so bloody damn long!" yelled Arianna - I guess she was anxious to get out of this world.

"Weird stuff." replied Jean, and Arianna blinked, and looked up.

"Are you guys tired, or can we go kill that Heartless in the cave now?" Nick asked, walking up, and Chaos grabbed Arianna and pulled her off of me.

"We're fine." we replied, "Why are you guys so anxious to kill it?"

"Ari went into the cave alone, and nearly got her Immortal self killed." replied Chaos simply.

"So...we need to go kill the Heartless?" asked Amber.

"**Yes.**" replied Arianna, then she stood up, and her weapon appeared, "Its weak against all form of luminescence, by the way."

We all just looked at her, then helped them all pack up their things, and then we headed to the Secret Place. Joy.

"Here, creepy-creepy-creepy..." muttered Kage.

Suddenly we came face to face with...Sora?

Sora looked around at us all, and then he saw Arianna, and opened his jaw _way_ too wide, revealing foot-long fangs dripping green liquid, and he hissed, then began to shift forms.

Suddenly, he was a tiger-man looking thing, with black fur, two heads, and purple striped, and a scorpion tail. He was...huge.

We all had our weapons out, and Arianna and Nick were both hot-headedly charging the monster, weapons at the ready.

I rolled my eyes, then slipped into battle-mode, and charged, dodging the swipes of its eight closet sized paws, my black scimitar raised.

Drake had a black staff with a blade on the end out, and he was slicing at the paws.

Soma had out his Ultima Buster Sword, and was getting ready to leap onto the Heartless' back.

Jean was currently punching, kicking and throwing things at the Heartless.

Amber was trying to cut its tail off with her sword and its white blade.

I quickly found out that the flesh of the monster was thicker, and harder to pierce than I'd thought.

Everyone was attacking the monster, and either casting spells, or trying to slice n' dice it, or pummel it.

I leapt up onto its head, near where Ari was on its neck, and I made a face, and sliced open its eye, and I think Arianna got the idea, because she stopped trying to decapitate it, and sliced open the other eyes, and we both shoved our weapons through its eye sockets with a sickening crunch as we pierced something, and then clear liquid shot out, and it roared, sending us both flying off, weaponless. Arianna went flying into a wall, and slid to the floor, and I simply landed on the floor.

The others charged it, since it still wasn't down, and while Ari and I were recovering, they somehow to kill it.

I moaned and sat up, and looked around, and saw Chaos helping his sister sit up.

Suddenly, we were all in one single Gummi Ship.

"Fucking monkey balls from Mars." muttered Ari, rubbing her head, wincing, "Do I have a 'half-kill me' sign blinking above my head or something?" She shook her head, and walked into the back of the Gummi ship leaving us all out here.

We got back to Olympus Coliseum, and we were greeted by Zeuxis.

"Well, you all survived." remarked Zeuxis, scanning the group.

"Of course we survived." said Arianna, "The only ones of us who would be weak enough to die are Chaos and Aki." She walked past Zeuxis, and then paused, looked at us, and I picked up something...odd...about her, "They're just a bunch of weaklings."

"Uhm...Ari?" asked Chaos, blinking at her.

"What, wuss?" asked Arianna, looking at him, "Or should I say...Darius...Remiel...Apolyon? Which do you prefer? All three are your names. How about Darius. That has a nice ring to it."

"I am not a wuss!" snapped Chaos, "And Darius is fine!"

"Yeah. Think of what you let your father do to you, and then tell me you're not a wuss." retorted Arianna, and I blinked, something about the way she said that...

"Ari, what is wrong with you!" poor Chaos looked close to tears.

"She's acting her _true_ self." replied a voice, and Xander appeared, and he grabbed Chaos by the chin, and Chaos visibly gulped, his eyes suddenly widening in fear, as Arianna leaned back against a pillar, looking bored and amused at the same time.

"Ari..." Chaos said, now looking positively terrified for some reason, and I blinked in surprise when I saw Xander was...groping...him. And Ari wasn't doing anything about it? What the hell was going on?

When Xander kissed Chaos, I growled, and punched him, startling him into moving away, and Chaos whimpered, and hid behind the girls, staying as far away from the males as he could.

"Oh...you ruined the fun." Ari pouted, and I stared at her.

"Ari, what they bloody hell is wrong with you!" I demanded, then Xander slapped me, but it sent me to the ground hard enough that I whacked my head off of it, making stars burst into my vision.

"You are all in trouble." hissed Xander, and then he disappeared, and left us alone with Zeuxis, and the evil Arianna.

This couldn't be good.

?¿?¿?¿ Next day...

I was happy...sort of. Well, Ari hadn't mauled or killed anyone, so we should all be happy, I suppose.

"Due to circumstances," said Zeuxis, glancing at Arianna, "Ms. Black will be staying here, and the rest of you will be traveling to Dauthrmir, land of the Immortals.

"The groups are as follows... Ryu, Jean, Amber, Drake and Kat in group one. Aki, Ceil, Erik, Peter and Kage in group two. Cha- Darius, Nick and Soma in group three."

With that, Zeuxis walked off, and we all headed towards the Gummi Ships.

?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?


	6. Test Six: Missions, and Emotions

¿

Okay, ladies and gents. Welcome to chapter six.

When you review, would you please tell me a few things? The list of things is at the bottom of the chapter.

You know someone loves you, and that you love them when you can hurt each other.

¿

Quest for the Keyblade

Test Six: Missions, and Emotions

? Arianna's POV

I blinked as I woke up, and then I cursed, and sat up. I remembered seeing Corellyn on the back of the Gummi ship, and then everything had gone

black.

I looked around and saw I was in a room, or suite, rather, that rivaled my suite in Hollow Bastion.

I scowled when I noticed I was wearing a night_gown_ and got out of the very comfy bed I had woken up on, and threw open the first closet I found. All dresses. I checked the other five closets. All dresses. And then I found _one_ outfit that had pants. I grabbed that - emerald green, crinkled velvet breeches, vest, knee-high boots, and elbow length gloves, and I went to the bathroom, closed the door, locked it, took a bath, got dressed, and walked back out into the room, and looked out of the window. Unfamiliar.

It was probably spring, of early summer by the looks of things, and my window looked out over a lush garden with morning glories, roses, delphinium, etc. galore. Well, at least who ever owned the castle had taste.

I looked out past the castle grounds, and saw ice and snow. Okay, someone had a very powerful mage under his or her control.

I scowled and started pacing the room, and noticed a bowl of fruit, and a bowl of oatmeal had somehow appeared in my room. I scowled, tested it for poison, as was my habit, and I ate it all, I felt a little bit better.

Finally, irritated, I sat down on the bed, and sent out energy, trying to figure out where I was, if I could sense what sort of people in the castle - humans, elves, etc. as servants...I opened my eyes, startled, Vampires. Lots, and lots. I continued searching, and ran into both Xander _and_ someone more powerful than he was at the same time. I winced, and the impact sent me flying into the pillows at the headboard.

Great. I scowled, tried to WorldWalk myself away, and found I couldn't. Yep, someone had a _very_ powerful mage.

I scowled, sat in a chair, and drilled my fingers against the arm of it while I sensed the two Vampires walking my way. I muttered a few curses to myself, and the continued to drill my fingers into the chair as I heard the lock unlock.

I let my eyes slide to the left, and I saw Xander, followed by a man even taller than him enter the room.

The new comer had shoulder length electric blue hair, and bright red-ish orange eyes.

They were both wearing Victorian age clothes. I looked let my eyes slide back to the wall, and I propped my feet up on a convenient stool.

"Xander, I don't know if you should warn her, but, I am going to mutilate, the kill Corellyn."

I heard Xander sigh, and also heard the door shut.

"Always the murderous one." muttered Xander.

"No, I'm just rather pissed." I growled, still not looking around at them, "First she kidnaps me, and then she takes me somewhere where I can't WorldWalk." I growled, "Not to mention this place is crawling with Vampires."

"You're a Vampire." the blue-haired Vamp pointed out, and I slid my eyes sideways enough to give him a dirty look for reminding me.

"That doesn't mean I can't hate them still." I retorted.

"Oh, stop your griping!" yelled a female voice, and Naomi appeared, and I gave her a look, "You were _dieing_ you idiot! You didn't want to die!"

"No, I didn't. Not then anyway." I replied monotonously, "I'm whimsical."

"You're a pain in the ass." said Xander, and that startled me into outright staring at him, "What? You look shocked."

I started laughing at that, and then I shook my head and stood up, and crossed my arms, and turned to the three, "Its a talent, being a pain in the ass, that is. And, incredible, you _do_ have a spine.

"So, where am I?"

"Dauthrmir." replied the blue-haired Vamp.

"Home of the Immortally Challenged." I said wryly, and Naomi snickered, and Xander raised an eyebrow.

"You could say that." said the blue-haired Vamp, and he took a few steps closer, and I immediately tensed, but all he did was offer me a hand, "I am Rabere Inej Derkesthai."

"...Arianna Black." I said, and I took his head, and he kissed it. Not what I was expecting.

"So, _Ari_..." said Naomi, and I looked at her, I knew that tone - Aki used it all too often, "How are things going with _Nick_?"

"I do not like Nick." I said flatly, crossing my arms, and glaring at her hard enough my scales popped out and bristled, "You know that, I know that, _he_ fucking knows it!"

"Wow, a non-Immortal you hate besides you parents." said Xander, and I shot him a look that would fry someone alive.

"Why does everyone seem to care about my personal life now?" I demanded and I poked Xander in the chest, annoyed, "It is none of anyone's business!"

I glared at him and Naomi in turn, and walked to the window.

"And why in the world is it early summer here, and winter out there!" I asked - it had been driving me crazy, what can I say?

"We are far to the North." said Derkesthai, walking over, "A human mage who is in my power cast an enchantment on the castle and its grounds so it has the normal four seasons, instead of endless winter." He paced back to the other three.

"Ari, have you fed? I just thought of that." asked Xander. He sounded too innocent. _Way _too damned innocent for him.

"No." I said flatly, glancing at him, and then back out of the window.

I expected him, or Naomi, to say something, but suddenly a bleeding wrist appeared in front of my face, and it, and its scent, nearly drew a small sound for me, but I gritted my teeth, and stepped backwards, half out of surprise, and my back hit a masculine chest, more muscled than Xander's. It was Derkesthai. What the hell?

"Uh-uh. No way." I said stubbornly, trying to figure out a way to get away from him as one of his arms wrapped around my waist.

I heard footsteps, the door opening, then closing, and we were alone. Greaaaaat.

"You need to feed." he whispered against the side of my neck, and I tensed as I felt his breath slide along my skin, and I gritted my teeth again.

A Vampire offering a Vampire blood? Okaaay, why does this sound so damned suspicious?

I blinked and suddenly his wrist was healed, and before I could say anything sarcastic, he turned me around, and picked me up by the waist, startling me, so that I had a rather nice view of his very exposed neck.

"No." I said, trying for flat, but sounding rather strained instead. Damn. That grew worse when he pulled me closer, and forced my legs around his waist so he could support me with an arm under my ass, and his other hand went behind my neck, and forced my head forward, so I was nuzzled into his neck.

Almost instantly the scent of his skin, and the blood underneath, nearly totally intoxicated me, and before I knew it, instead of continuing to try and push him away, one arm was against his back, and the other hand was half against his neck, half against his face on the opposite side of my mouth.

Before I knew what I was doing, I'd bitten into his neck, and was swallowing his blood, making contented sounds as it hit my tongue, and then went down my throat. He was backing towards the bed, and he collapsed against it, with me on top of him, drinking his blood.

Finally, he shoved me off, and had to hold me down with an arm so I could regain...normality.

? Darius' (Chaos) POV

"Okay, that dude is really starting to annoy me." said Soma as we walked through a woodland area in the middle of nowhere.

The Gummi Ship has crashed in an...incredible...forest somewhere on Dauthrmir. The tree were hundreds upon hundreds of feet tall, had a silvery-blue, sweet smelling, soft, shaggy park, and blue and silver leaves the size of a car. The ground was littered with crystal gravel, and more crystals grew here and there, in place of bushes, and some actually bore berries.

There were hundreds of streams and creeks running through the forest, and strange-looking creatures prowled everywhere.

"I know," I replied, looking around, "His Gummi Ships keep crashing us into the middle of nowhere."

I suddenly stopped as I felt an odd surge of energy further north, and I frowned deeply. What the hell was my sister doing here?

"What's wrong?" asked Nick, glancing at me.

"I just sensed...Arianna." I replied, frowning, and I started walking again, "She felt...different. Not like I'm used to, and not like she was at the Coliseum."

"What is _she_ doing here?" asked Soma, "I thought she was under house arrest back at the Coliseum?"

"If she broke out, I hope she killed that cheerleader guy." muttered Nick.

Soma and I voiced our agreements, as we continued walking.

"So, what felt different?" asked Soma.

"She...felt like she was under someone's power." I replied, frowning, "Hard to believe, though, she is such a hard-headed, self-proclaimed alpha."

"You there!" yelled a voice, and we looked around, and saw a woman with bright green hair and hot pink eyes walking towards us, followed by several more Vampire.

"Yes?" I asked, confused at the loathing attitude of the Vampires.

Instead of answering, they grabbed us, and beat the crap out of us, took our weapons, and threw us, chained, into a horse-drawn wagon.

"Let us out of here!" yelled Soma, struggling against his chains.

"They're too tight." said Nick, scowling as he sat in a corner, "I think they're enchanted."

"Really? How can you tell?" I asked, looking at him.

"I'm just trying to make myself feel better." muttered Nick, and I frowned, shook my head, and stared out of the barred window.

A few hours, or what seemed like that long, later, we were being drawn through a snowy plain, and up to a castle.

"Come on! Move it move it!" yelled the green-haired woman, dragging us out of the wagon, sending us falling to our knees in a suddenly warmer climate.

I scowled and got to my knees with difficulty, and looked up and was startled to see a blank-eyes Arianna standing with a tall Vampire, leaning against his chest, her back to me, but her head turned, looking at us.

What scared me most was her eyes were no longer blue, grey, green or even red, but black. A hollow, souless black.

"So, Arianna, this is your brother." said the Vampire, looking down at me, and Arianna returned her attention to the Vampire, and I heard her say a soft yes.

"What do you want me to do with these three lads, Mi'lord?" asked the green-haired woman, and I tried to scramble back as I saw Xander and another Vampire walk out of the castle.

"My, my, my." said Xander, almost immediately noticing me, and I gulped, and I saw Arianna's head turn slowly to look at the black-haired Vampire, "Darius, Nick, and Soma. What in the _world_ are you three doing here?"

I noticed that the new Vampire was frowning at Xander.

The new Vampire was male, and younger than Xander or the extremely powerful Vampire that Arianna was with. He had knee-length electric red hair, and pupil-less purple eyes.

Xander started to walk forward, but Arianna moved away from the blue-haired Vampire, and held out a hand towards Xander, and he reached forward, and Arianna grabbed his arm, kicked him in the ribs, and threw him into a wall, and set him on fire.

"Behave, Xander." said Arianna, her voice lethal, but quiet as she extinguished the flames with a wave of her hand, "I won't hesitate to kill you, if you go anywhere near my brother, or his friends."

"Mi'lord." prompted the green-haired vampiress and Arianna and Xander glared at each other, the purple haired vampire looking from one to the other, very confused.

"I'll take care of Lady Arianna's brother." said the purple haired one, stepping forward, "I'll make sure, Lady Arianna, that he is not harmed."

Arianna remained silent for a moment, then nodded, and then walked off somewhere, and I noticed the soft look the blue-haired Vampire gained as he watched my sister walk off.

"Darius, Nick, Soma." said Vivus, looking at me and my two companions, "I am Vivus. I'm the head of security for the Vampire third of Dauthrmir. You three look like strapping young lads. I'm sure you wouldn't have any trouble around weapons."

"Recruiting, as always." sighed the blue-haired Vampire, "I'm Rabere Inej Derkesthai. Lord of Vampires."

Without another word, the Vampire walked off, and Xander scowled and disappeared.

"Your sister is under Derkesthai's power." said Vivus, after he had taken us to the soldier's barracks, "She drank his blood. He honest to God _offered_ it to her. That must be why she was able to do that to Xander..."

"What the hell are you talking about?" asked Nick, crossing his arms at the Vampire.

"When a younger Vampire drinks the blood of an older one, they become...linked...to that Vampire. Not only did your sister gain more power, but also she is under Rabere's control...if he want's to control her. Which, at the moment, he is."

"Why?" asked Soma, "Sure, she's a powerful bitch who like the Heartless, but what else?"

"He wants to show her that Vampires aren't as bad as she thinks they are." replied Vivus, holding his hands up, "There aren't many Vampire here who like mortals, or non-Vampires. But Rabere and I are two of the few."

"Then what the hell is _Xander_ doing here?" I demanded, crossing my arms.

"'Keep your friends close, and your enemies closer.' That's what Rabere told me." replied Vivus, shrugging, "Xander rebelled a few millennia ago, gathering a giant army, and trying to destroy Rabere. He failed, obviously, and no Rabere keeps a constant eye on him."

"You said this is the 'Vampire Third'?" asked Nick, frowning.

"The Werewolves rule another continent, and the Weretigers the next." replied Vivus, pointing at a map, "The other types of lycanthropes are scattered throughout all of the countries. The Vampires, Werewolves and Weretigers are the strongest groups. But...a Werewolf and a Weretiger recently secretly got married...and were found-out a few days ago.

"You see, the Werewolves and Weretigers are fighting like...cats and dogs. They used to get along just fine, but the past several centuries, they've been at odds. Couples of 'mixed breeds' and mixed breed children were all slaughtered. Now, canines can only marry canines, and felines with felines. The Vampires have had to play extreme neutral just to keep the lycanthropes here safe.

"The mixed-couple are due for a trial in a couple of days, and are currently being held on an island between the two lycanthrope countries, until the trial."

"Racism." spat Soma, and I glanced at him, "I _hate_ racists."

? Elsewhere, Arianna's POV...

"You seem rather pissed-off, dear." said Corellyn, as I walked into the meeting chamber in Hollow Bastion, since I had been able to persuade Derkesthai to get those particular enchantments removed.

"Yes, at you." I growled - I knew what had happened back at the Coliseum, "Stop toying with my brother. _That is an order_. I will not tolerate any more insubordination. If you disobey me, or make an action without asking me for permission first, _you will be eliminated from this group._ And I do not mean death, or simple release. You will be given to the Heartless, to do with what they will."

Corellyn stared at me, shocked.

"What's changed you all of a sudden?" asked a voice, and I glanced at Nightmare as he walked forward out of the shadows.

"I've been too soft with you all." I replied, crossing my arms, "The only way to get things done is to be active. Corellyn, _you will_ be going to Neverland to kidnap Wendy and Peter. Nightmare." I turned to the blindfolded man, "I need you to guard my castle. Corellyn has been stealing things."

"What-! How did you-!" Corellyn gasped, and I turned to look at her, and she backed up a few steps.

"Now, get out, Corellyn, and do not disobey me again. Because after what I'll do to you, you will never get to see your beloved Ansem again." I growled, and they stared at me, and I disappeared, and returned to Dauthrmir.

Vivus was all right, but I didn't trust Xander not to get out of hand anyway.

"Well, speak of the devil." said Xander, looking up from a book, and I glanced at him, and noticed he had been talking with Vivus.

"Hmm..." I muttered, thoughtful, "Can I trust you with an important mission or not...?"

Xander stood up fast, dumping his book on the ground, looking eager, and he grabbed my shoulders.

"What do you want me to do?" asked Xander.

"I want you to get Belle and the Beast." I replied, and he stared at me, "That's not too much for you, is it?"

"Of course not!" he said, puffing his chest out.

"Then get to it." I said, icily, and he bowed, smirking, and teleported, and I sat down on the edge of the fountain.

"So its true, you are up to no good." said Vivus, and I just looked at him, "Your brother and his friends told me."

"Ah." I said, closing my eyes and leaning my head back, "Vivus, I know you know Xander well, so I can trust you to take all precautions to keeping him away from them?"

"Of course." replied Vivus, "I know what he's like, but what has you so worried, and your brother so jumpy? You brother honest to God asked to work in the kitchens with the women, away from the men."

"His father is the problem." I replied, opening my eyes, and looking at him, "Xander knows, and had picked on that fact."

Vivus, frowned, and said, "Are you implying your father..."

"Yes." I replied, before he could finish, and he frowned, "I know you think I should've waited for Darius to tell you, but, believe me, he doesn't tell anyone."

I stood up, and dusted my pants off, "I know, he should. It'd make him feel better, but he has all of this macho bull shit stuck in his head."

"Some could say that about you." said Vivus, looking at me, and I raised an eyebrow at him, "What?"

"You're a lot braver than most guys who know anything about me." I informed him, and his laughter trailed after me as I headed to the kitchens.

"Lady Arianna!" gasped Marian, the head cook, "What are you-?"

I just walked past her, and straight over to my brother, who was trying to figure out how to sharpen a knife.

"Darius." I said, and he looked up startled, dropped the knife, and flung his arms around me.

"Thank God! No more soul-less eyes!" said Darius, and I started laughing at that, and several of the cooks looked at us, confused.

"Darius, you need to be careful." I said, pushing him back so I could look him in the eyes, "Xander will stop at nothing to weaken you. Vivus can't protect you if you're this far away. Xander is much more powerful than Vivus. He _made_ Vivus."

"Why do you care?" asked Darius, pushing me away suddenly.

"You think that was me at the Coliseum." I said, staring at him, and the maids gulped, "You honestly believe that! My God...you _have_ changed." I sighed and shook my head, and sat in a chair, flopping into heavily.

"What was it then, an android?" asked Darius, sarcastically, and I just turned slightly hurt and tearful eyes to him, and he frowned.

"Darius, Darius..." I said, shaking my head, "I would _never_ do something like that. If Xander got anywhere near you, I'd kill him. And I wouldn't have any qualms about it. Darius, your my brother, and I love you. You need to remember that.

"Darius, Corellyn can't be trusted. She keeps trying and pushing me. She's created 'clones' of me with my buried personality." I said, standing back up, "You and I both have buried personalities. One is pure evil, one is sickeningly innocent. Then there is the one we are both stuck at. Yours is good neutral. Mine is chaotic-neutral. It shouldn't be too hard telling the difference between me and a clone, if you still know me at all."

With that, I walked out of the kitchens, and nearly walked straight into a grumpier-than-normal-looking Nick.

"I hope you're going in there to get him out of there." I said, as Nick ignored me and walked down the way I had come, "He's in serious need of a listening ear, by the way."

Without waiting for a reply, I continued walking, and returned to the gardens and ran a hand over a black rose bloom, marveling at the velvety feel of the lemon-scented rose.

"There you are." said a voice, and suddenly a pair of arms wrapped around my waist, and a head rest atop on mine, "Plotting, I assume?"

"Always." I replied, wryly, "And checking up on my younger brother."

"I've asked Naomi to stay and try to protect the boys as well." said Derkesthai, "She accepted, quite happy to have a chance to beat-up Xander."

"Thank you." I sighed, slightly relieved, "Between her and Vivus, they should be fairly well protected, since Naomi is almost as powerful as Xander."

"You know, up until a few years ago, I had been wondering why Xander had been acting so docile." remarked Derkesthai, and my lips twitched in a small smile at the thought of a "docile" Xander, "Then he told me about you and your little group."

"He always has to create chaos of some sort." I said, shrugging, then I added, wryly, "Either that or creating new gels for his hair."

Derkesthai laughed, and turned me around, and he looked down at me, and I looked slightly away, he made me feel...odd. I wasn't quite sure how to explain it, but part of me was afraid of it, another part uneasy.

"Your friend's cousin, Soma, is worried about you." said Derkesthai, releasing me, probably knowing what I had been thinking, "You should probably go see him."

Without another word, he walked off, and I headed to the soldier's training grounds, after changing into breeches, knee-high boots, and a blouse.

I pulled on a pair of black leather gloves as I walked into the training yard, and smiled slightly when I saw Soma and the other two boys dueling with some of the soldiers.

"Sorry to interrupt, boys," I began and the soldiers bowed to me, "But I need to steal away Darius, Soma and Nick."

I motioned for the three boys to follow me, and I had a stable hand get out three horses, a large black stallion for me, and led the boys into the woods behind the castle.

"What's the occasion?" asked Soma, and I sat backwards in the saddle, cross-legged.

"I'll assume Vivus filled you in about the lycanthrope situation?" I asked, and the boys nodded, "I would like...for you to go with the troops to the island, to try and help the lycanthropes. If they are successfully brought here, they can be hidden."

"Why do you care?" spat Nick, and I gave him an icy look.

"I'm neutral, Nicky-boy." I snapped, "Get used to it. Besides. Don't any of you think its wrong for the lycanthropes to not be able to be with whom they truly love? If you think they're animals, think again. They're just...furry people. Think of it that way."

"Ari, you never cease to amaze me." sighed Soma, "And when we get there?"

"...Leave a sign that would indicate that they had been...irradiated. Use real blood and such to make it look like they had been torn apart, and make it look like both sides had done it." I replied, thoughtfully, then I let out a loud whistle, and a large translucent blue dragon appeared, "This is Thaein, he's an ice dragon. I'm sending him with you."

We, with the dragon, returned to the castle, and I gave the stable hands instruction as to how to take care of the dragon, and I left, heading back to the castle.

? Nick's POV, Next Day...

"Okay, just us and the dragon were sent..._why_?" asked Soma, frowning as the dragon carried us over the ocean.

"Because its quieter with just us and Thaein." I replied, it made sense.

"We should just be glad that Thaein in with us." said Darius flatly.

_'Thanks.'_ said Thaein, wryly, _'Your sister is...interesting...by the way. She and the Vampire Lord don't seem to know what to do or say around each other, and both go incredibly soft in the presence of the other.'_

"Ugh." muttered Darius, making a face, "Sounds too lovey-dovey for _me_."

"Your sister says you are worse about love than she is." I said, and Darius froze, and I frowned at the reaction, "She was hinting at me that you need a listening ear."

"She's been hinting at those of us guys she thinks are good a listening and 'good men' that sort of thing." said Soma, nodding, "So, Darius, please, what's wrong? We saw how you reacted to Xander. Most guys would have just kicked him in the nuts."

"..." Darius remained silent, and looked away, and Soma and I looked at each other.

I wasn't usually into helping out descendants of bad people...but there was something seriously wrong here, and it was making Darius and his sister both act odd.

"My father is the problem." said Darius, "To his sort, the second born child is cursed, especially when they look so much like the first born. He used to absolutely dote on Arianna, until he found out her affinity with the Heartless. He wouldn't have anything to do with her after that. He always...punished me."

"Punished?" asked Soma.

"Punished me for not being the first born, punishing me for being weaker than my sister. And when I say...punished...I do not mean he whipped me or anything like that, though there was plenty of that..." Darius trailed off, and looked out over the ocean.

I frowned, and began to piece things together in me head, and froze as it hit me.

"That..._animal_." I said, utterly shocked, "How _old_ were you?"

"Basically ever since I could walk." said Darius, "Or that's what it seems like, at least..."

"No wonder your sister totally lost it when she saw him." said Soma, "Damn..."

"And he's a Heartless now." I said, frowning, and Soma looked at me, "He popped up when Arianna and I were lost."

_'We're here.'_ said Thaein, and without warning, he opened his jaws, and accompanying an ear-shattering roar where hundreds of thousands of gallons of ice coming from his jaws, freezing part of the ocean, and he landed.

We got off of Thaein's back, and Thaein went forward, and every guard he found, he grabbed in a taloned paw, breaking their necks, and we followed the now-smaller dragon down a spiral staircase, watching for any more guards to appear.

"Who are you people!" demanded a scared female voice, and I spotted a young woman with auburn hair, and a man next to her, with blonde hair.

"We're here to rescue you." said Darius, taking the keys from one of the dead guards, as Thaein dumped all of the guards in a small pile.

Thaein, after we got the lycanthropes to the surface, would prepare the fake mutilation scene.

The woman and man traded clothes with two guards, so their clothes would be along with the scents of the dead guards, and to keep their scent off of the steps, we picked up the disturbingly light couple, and went outside.

Ten minutes later, Thaein came out, and we got into the "box saddle" and he flew back to the castle.

? Arianna's POV

_Something was wrong_. I thought to myself as I stood on a balcony that was adjacent to my room, and I looked out over the landscape.

"What am I thinking? Its take a while to rescue people, even with a dragons. I can't expect a dragon carrying all that weight and ego to fly at mach one million, or anything." I shook my head and sat on the black granite bench, smoothing my skirt down behind my knees, and I crossed my arms on the railing, and rested my chin on them, and looked down at the gardens, and soon spotted the twinkle of Thaein's wings in the sky, and I sighed. _I'm getting worried in my old age._

I stood and walked back into my room, and looked at me hair, frowning slightly. Naomi had told me a few days ago I could expect changes, now that I was a Vampire, but my hair going from butt to ankle-length overnight was ridiculous. Not to mention, half of my bangs were purple, the other half red. Okaaaay.

I ran my finger through my hair, thinking, and I pulled it up in several Japanese-style buns, and strode out of my room towards where my brother was supposed to land.

"Ari!" said Darius, looking up as I approached, my kimono like dress blowing around slightly as Thaein gave one last flap of his wings as he landed, "What the-?"

"What the freezing hell?" I supplied, "Naomi warned me that changed might happen." I looked up at the saddle as the boys helped the lycanthrope to the ground, "Daesh, take the lord and lady lycanthropes to their suite, I'm sure they're tired, hungry, and would like a nice long bath."

Daesh bowed, and led the two lycanthropes past me and towards the castle.

"How did it go?" I asked, turning back to the boys.

"Easy." replied Nick, leaning back against the large dragon, "Thanks to your friend here not leaving _us_ any guards."

_'I like doing things quickly.'_ snorted Thaein, _'Until next time...'_

With that, the dragon leapt into the air and flew off.

Nick and Soma walked off to report in to Vivus, like good little boys, and Darius stayed behind, and pulled me off to the side.

"How've you and that Vampire been getting along?" asked Darius, and I frowned slightly.

"I've no idea." I replied, wryly, "He's hardly around because he can't think of much of anything to say to me."

"Or you're uncomfortable with the fact that he likes you." said Darius, crossing his arms at me, and I held a hand to his forehead.

"Who are you, and what have you done with Darius?" I asked, and he rolled his eyes.

"Ari, I'm your brother, for God's sake, I _know_ how you think." said Darius, and I just gazed at him innocently, "You've always been awkward around people who like you. You don't know what to think or say or do when someone likes you."

I just frowned at him, and crossed my arms.

"Since when did you become a psychologist?" I demanded, stubborn.

"Some _on_." said Darius, frustrated, throwing his hands into the air, "You've always been afraid if anyone shows any sort of good emotion towards you! You made me a Vampire, remember? I'm linked to you, I know what you think."

I continued to look at him stubbornly, and I could tell he was about to scream in frustration, so I stopped.

"Maybe you're right." I said, "I'm just afraid of getting hurt again."

Without another word to the startled younger brother, I walked off, back to my room.

"I see they succeeded." said Derkesthai, falling into step with me near the gardens, "Where are the lycanthropes?"

"Taking a much-need shower, I hope." I replied, wryly, "They were covered in dirt and blood."

"I want to show you something." said Derkesthai, grabbing my arm lightly, but it was enough to make me stop.

"What?" I asked, he'd made me curious, damn it.

"Its a surprise." he said, grinning playfully, and he grabbed my hand, and led me out of the castle grounds and into the woods, after handing me a warmer coat.

I frowned, wondering where he was taking me, until he led me into a clearing in the forest, and I was startled to see an unfrozen pond. The odd thing about it an the unfrozen clearing was, that the water was opaque, iridescent, and rainbow colored, the grass was white, and there were white stemmed, rainbow-colored dandelions scattered throughout the clearing, as well as glass like pixies with butterfly wings.

"Oh my God." I said, utterly shocked by the clearing, and not exactly sure what to make of it, besides the fact it was amazingly beautiful, and _quite_ the unusual site.

"I thought you'd like it, no matter how dark others say you are." said Derkesthai, coming to stand next to me, "These are the last faeries left in Dauthrmir. The lycanthropes hunted the others down a few hundred years ago, because they thought they could gain their powers through rituals involving killing faeries."

"Why would anyone want to destroy anything so beautiful?" I wondered.

"Some could ask you the same question." said Derkesthai, and I looked at him, frowning, but he wouldn't look at me, "What else do you think summoning the Princes and Princess' of Heart together will do? It will destroy everything."

"I had been gathering them so I could find my brother." I said, managing not to snap at him, and he just looked at me.

"Now what are you doing? You're brother has been found." said Derkesthai.

"I'm planning on using the power of the Princes and Princess' to get rid of the other groups who want to destroy the worlds." I replied, looking back at the pond, "Everyone assumes that I'm evil just because I can control the Heartless, or simply because I'm neutral. The Princes and Princess' of Heart were originally meant to be used for good. They used to be kept awake, their hearts not stolen, so that they could work as an undefeatable team to restore the balance." I crossed my arms, and frowned slightly, looking over the iridescent water, "Ever sense Ansem started messing with things, the balance hasn't been restored, and the legions of evil have multiplied."

"Either you're serious, or you are a very good liar." said Derkesthai, and I looked back at him, frowning.

"Do you think I'm lying?" I asked, meeting his eyes for once, and he frowned at me, "Corellyn wants to turn my brother and I over to her side. Corellyn is obsessed with Ansem. She honest to God loves a dead man. She plans on bringing him back with the power of the Princes and Princesses."

"She's insane. She always has been." said Derkesthai, looking away from me, and walking over to a crystal boulder, and leaning his hands against it, his back to me, "And you're not lying."

"Glad you noticed." I said, and I held out a hand to a faerie, and it landed on my palm, and twirled around in my palm, and I watched the small pixie dance, to the pixie I said, in her own language, "What should I do?"

"Open up." said the pixie, giving me a serious look, "You're only hurting yourself more and more deeply, by closing yourself off." I closed my eyes as the pixie talked, and I leaned back against another boulder, "To truly accomplish your goals, you have to except all parts of yourself. Then no one can bring out one single part of you to use you, and you can love again."

I felt the pixie leave my hand, and I let my hand fall back to my side.

"Why are you crying?" asked a voice, and I jumped, and opened my eyes to look at a worried Derkesthai, and then I looked away from him, but he turn my face back to him, "Arianna, what's wrong?"

"Nothing." I replied, "I was just...talking with one of the pixies."

"I know that, but what's wrong?" asked Derkesthai, "Most people are giddy after talking to pixies, and I couldn't help but smile slightly at the thought of giddy people, since most giddy people acted silly.

"I doubt they were chaotic-neutrals asking for advice." I replied wryly, and I glanced at the pixies, "For such small creatures, they sure are smart."

"You were asking for advice?" asked Derkesthai, frowning, "What sort of advice?"

"Just advice in general." I replied, shrugging, and swatting at the tears I'd shed involuntarily, "But saying is easier than doing."

At that statement, all of the pixies shrieked at me that I was being silly, and I winced.

"Not being silly." I muttered more to myself than anything.

"What did they say to you, once you asked for advice?" asked Derkesthai, and I looked away again.

"Basically to except all part of myself, so no one can bring out any certain bad parts to use against people." I replied wryly, "That's never fun when it happens."

Derkesthai crossed his arms, and looked like he was waiting for me to continue.

"Oh, fine." I sighed, "Anyone ever tell you you're stubborn? They said, 'Open up, you're only hurting yourself more and more deeply by closing yourself off. To truly accomplish your goals, you have to except all parts of yourself. Then no one can bring out one single part of you to use you, and you can love again.'"

"So that you can 'love again'?" asked Derkesthai, frowning slightly, "What does _that_ mean?"

"I've cut myself off emotionally." I replied, "Well enough that the only thing that really gets to me is people messing with my brother, of my best friend. Otherwise...well, I don't feel anything." I looked away again.

"They're right, you know." said Derkesthai, then he noticed tears were leaking from my eyes again, "What's the matter?"

"I can't let myself open up." I said, still not looking at him, "Every time I do...I get hurt."

"Oh, Arianna." sighed Derkesthai, and he hugged me, holding me against his chest, and I simply closed my eyes, "Getting hurt is just part of life, you have to learn to work past it, and move on. People need people, Arianna. People go insane without other people."

"I know." I sighed, "But...it just hurts...so much."

"You need people who support you, to make it past the hurt." said Derkesthai, cupping my face in a hand, and making me look at him, "And you have to stop running from you emotions." he stroked my cheek, and I closed my eyes, "You have to be willing to let you emotions show through, Arianna. You can't keep running."

"You're right, you're right." I sighed, opening my eyes, "But...how am I supposed to open up? It been so long since I..." I trailed off, and looked away from him again.

"Arianna," said Derkesthai, turning my face to his again, "You have to make up your mind to open up, you have to be emotionally honest with yourself, before you can be emotionally honest with others."

Damn, he was right again. I frowned slightly, thinking. Had I been lying to myself, too? Answer is...yes. And that was why my heart hurt. I was in love, and I wasn't admitting it even to myself.

"How is it I keep meeting people who are right all the time?" I asked with a sigh, walking a few steps away from him, "At this rate you're all going to have me converted into a lighter waving enviromentalist."

Derkesthai laughed at that, and walked over to the pond.

"I'm not so sure about that," said Derkesthai, "But we'll convert you to something good, you can be sure of that."

"Confident in yourself, as always, hmm, Rabere?" I asked, glancing over at him, and he turned to me, startled that I'd finally called him by his first name, "Of course, I hear Vampire are always like that." I looked away from him, and at one of the very interesting boulders.

"No, not really." said Rabere, and I sensed him walking towards me, "You called me..."

I just looked at him, smiling slightly, "Well, you _have_ been begging me too."

"Who are you and what have you done with my Arianna?" demanded Rabere, and I grinned.

"Ask yourself that, sugar." I said, and then I started walking back towards the castle, as he stared at me.

"What are you up to?" asked Rabere, suddenly appearing in front of me, and making me look at him, since I _had_ been avoiding his eyes still, and he started to frown at whatever he saw, and then I saw him start to smile.

"Stop it, if you smile you're going to make me smile!" I said, and I whacked at him, and he caught my wrist, and pulled me up against him.

"Well, we can't have that, now can we?" asked Rabere, and before I could reply he kissed me, which surprised me, but I smiled slightly, and let him hold me, and I kissed him back.

1. On a scale of 1 to 10, how good do you think my writing is? What can I do to improve it?

2. Do you think my chapters are to long/short. (Not counting the last one)

3. Does my writing seem to pace?

4. On a scale of 1 to 10 how:

Emotional is my writing?

Suspenseful is my writing?

Dramatic is my writing?

Comedic is my writing?

Okay, that's it.

Love and hurt are two sides of a coin, choose the wrong side, and you get hurt, choose the correct side, and you're happy.

¿


	7. Test Seven: Revelations

¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?

Test Seven: Revelations

¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿? Aki

I groaned and sat up, rubbing my now-sore head. Peter, Erik, Ceil, Kage and I were all in our Gummi ship, which had just gotten hit by the cannons from another ship.

I went back to cleaning my weapon. Thankfully Xeuxis, annoying as he was, had been nice enough to repair everyone's broken or damaged weapon, seeing as the Destiny Islands had been mean to us all.

"Damn Heartless ships." muttered Ceil, getting back in her seat and strapping herself in.

"So, what is this world like?" I asked, hoping someone knew.

"Dauthrmir is a land of Immortals." replied Erik, and I scowled - I didn't like Immortals, "The three main ruling groups are Vampires, Werewolves, and Weretigers. I don't know if there are any mortals living there or not."

I had grown up in Atlantica, and lived there until...my parents had been murdered by Immortals. Vampires _and_ Lycanthropes.

"We should probably stay away from the Immortals." said Ceil, "If we were to make any mad we'd been dead in minutes."

"Are we there yet?" I asked, crossing my arms and chewing on my bottom lip.

"We'll be there soon enough." replied Kage, raising one of her eyebrows at me.

Suddenly, the Gummi ship shuddered, and the lights went out, and it began to dive.

I yelped and scrambled into a seat and strapped myself in, and suddenly, I saw an ocean below.

I whimpered and covered my head, and the Gummi ship hit something hard with a sound like a "clink".

We slowly came to a stop, and I looked up to see some freak part of the ocean was frozen, right next to a small island with a rather imposing tower, and lots of people in uniforms.

We staggered out of the Gummi ship, and managed to walk over to the people.

"Are you all alright?" asked a woman with knee-length hot pink hair in corkscrew curls, and lime green eyes.

"I think so." I replied.

"Good..." she shook her head after looking at the Gummi ship, "Second ship to crash in this world..." Huh, I guess one of the other groups had crashed here too, "I'm Aylaena Valkyrie, Werewolf Ambassador to the Weretigers and Vampires."

We all introduced ourselves, and then I noticed huge, two-foot deep prints in the dirt.

"Those are dragon foot prints," said Aylaena, noticing our expressions, "Two prisoners in this jail, who were going to be going on trail soon, were broken out by a dragon and three males. Two human, one half elf and half demon." She tapped her nose, "They didn't do anything to cover their scent."

"What were they in jail for?" asked Peter, curiously as I looked anywhere but the Lycanthropes.

"Well, the woman, a Werewolf, married the male, who is a Weretiger." replied Aylaena, 'They did it in secret, of course, because cats and dogs aren't allowed to marry, or mate. Its taboo. Actually, cross-species couples aren't allowed, period."

"Why not, if they really love each other?" I asked, frowning, and the other's raised an eyebrow at me, and I noticed there was something odd with some of their eyes.

"Think of a horse and a wolf together." said Aylaena, "Not is it extremely...perverted...it is also extremely dangerous, since Lycanthropes tend to, well, shape-shift curing...mating rituals. We don't really have control over it. That is also why we don't take mortal lovers."

I thought about it for a moment, got a really gross picture in my mind and made a face.

"Exactly." said Aylaena, then she looked around, "I'm done here, so I can take you outworlders to the rest of the Ingal's clan - that's the clan of the first Werewolf, and I'm part of that clan. We can see what Racil wants to do with you lot.

"What is _that?_" Aylaena pointed somewhere behind us, and we turned around.

A translucent blue head with six black eyes rose out of the water, followed by body with spikes sticking out of its head and all the way along its back. It had six arms, two legs, and there were massive claws on each hand. There was Ansem's Crest on its chest. The Heartless was at least seventy feet long.

"What is it doing?" I asked, frowning, as it turned around, and swam off, "That's...weird..."

Aylaena led us to a hover-vehicle, and we boarded, and we sped off across the ocean.

¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿? Ceil

I looked over the railing on the hovercraft, scanning for land, and found a large cliff-face with hundreds of holes and lights on it.

"That is our home," said Aylaena, handing me a pair of binoculars, and I took them, and held them up and looked.

She was right. The holes I saw were really hundreds of windows and doorways. The lights were paper lanterns lining the tiers and tiers of walkways.

Aki snatched the binoculars from me and after a moment scowled.

A few moments later, the hovercraft stopped at a dock, and we walked off and followed Aylaena, after a very long walk, to the top of the cliff, where there was a large mansion.

"Those damned Vampires!" yelled a woman's voice from ahead, and we entered the room in times to see a tall woman with short, spiked black and red hair, and yellow eyes slam her hands down on a desk, literally shattering the wood.

"What's wrong, Racil?" asked Aylaena worriedly.

"That damned Vampire brother of mine sent that dragons and...and...and..." Racil seemed to be having difficulty saying the last word.

"Boys?" supplied Aylaena.

Racil gripped her hair and roared, making us all wince.

"Well, they _are_ extreme neutral, right?" I asked, "Just because its against your laws doesn't mean that _they_ would consider it taboo too."

"Who are these...people?" asked Racil, looking at Aylaena, who introduced us all, "I'm Racil Ingals. The...uh...baby of three Immortal siblings.

"My two older brothers and I have been around since the beginning of time. The middle Immortal is Amakiir Meshnal, the first Weretiger, and the brother I am currently incensed at is the first Vampire, Rabere Inej Derkesthai."

"Her brothers are actually quite nice." said Aylaena, "She makes it sound like they aren't, but they are quite the gentlemen. She's probably just mad at Rabere because she's forbidden in his lands."

"Hmm..." muttered Racil, who looked like she had suddenly thought of something, then she looked at us, "Maybe you lot can infiltrate his castle, and bring the traitors back."

"What!" yelped Kage, "You have got to be kidding!"

"No, I'm not." said Racil, "If you get apprehended by any slavers on the way, they'll take you to his castle first anyway, and he has this habit of taking in all of you 'poor mortals' as he puts it.

"So, you stay a few days, gain their trust until they'll let you guard the traitors, since the head of security drafts everyone, and then run off with them, and kill my brother in the process! I'm brilliant!"

"But what about the new situation with the Vampire situation?" asked Aylaena, frowning, and Racil blinked, and looked at her, confused, "He's found his soul mate, and she is currently living in the castle. He's going to be making her his mortal servant, I hear. She was a vampire, but something in her blood only let her be one for a short while, so she is mortal again."

"What?" asked Racil, staring at Aylaena, as the others and I exchanged lost looks, "Grrr...Fine, you guys won't kill him. Aylaena will give you transportation!

"And just so you know...my brother is rather recognizable. Bright blue hair and orange eyes. I have no idea why he chose that form, so don't ask me."

Before we could say anything, Aylaena led us out of the room, and outside, and gave us two horses that were hooked up to a cart.

Peter and Aki leapt into the driver's seat, and the rest of us got into the other seats in the cart, and after we were settled, Peter snapped the reins and the horses started off.

¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿? Aki

"These Lycanthropes are really weird." I said flatly, "The Lycanthropes _I_ have seen didn't have rules like that as a whole, maybe in some packs, but not that I know of."

"It is...strange." agreed Peter, "I haven't seen Lycanthropes like that either, and we have a lot of Immortals in Halloween Town."

I looked up from my hands, and nearly fell out of my seat in awe.

This was the boundary between Werewolves and Vampires. What was a normal forest suddenly turned into, well, a winter and crystal wonderland.

The bark on the trees looked like silvery-blue scale-shaped crystals, and the leaves were blue, and translucent, and looked like intricate sculptures.

The plants were made out of the same crystalline, flexible material, and the horses had no problem eating anything.

We traveled for about ten minutes longer, until the horses reared and broke free of their harnesses, and galloped back in the other direction.

Before we could do anything, a woman in an outfit that looked like a cross between Robin Hood and Jack Sparrow landed on the ground in front of us, and brandished a sword at us.

We just looked at the woman with purple hair and fuscia eyes for a moment, startled.

"Get out, slaves!" snapped the woman, "Before I gut ya!"

I went for my weapon, as did everyone else in the cart, but thirty more Vampires filtered out of the trees.

"Hmm, the Master will like you lot." said the woman, "Throw down your weapons!"

We reluctantly did so, and three hours later, after being hand and foot cuffed, and thrown into an enclosed wagon, the wagon stopped, and we were yanked out of the wagon, and tossed onto the ground.

"What have we here?" I heard a _very_ familiar female voice ask, and I looked up to see a frowning, extremely _different_ looking Arianna. And was that a dress!

"Where's the Master?" asked the Pirate of Sherwood Forest.

"He is...out," replied Arianna, "He had some business to attend to."

The Pirate of Sherwood Forest scowled and spat of the ground, and looked like she was trying to figure out what to do, and I saw Arianna glance at us again and frown more deeply.

"We will be _happy_ to take these...mortals, though, Jaena." said Arianna, suddenly smiling rather professionally, and Jaena the Pirate of Sherwood Forest looked up, and grinned, showing gold-plated fangs.

"Good!" said Jaena the Pirate of Sherwood Forest, "They're a fair crop of mortals! I think Vivus'll like 'em a lot, too."

With that, Jaena the Pirate of Sherwood Forest returned to the front of her caravan, and tossed Arianna a set of keys, then walked off.

"Geez. First Nick, Darius and Soma, now you guys." said Arianna, unlocking us all, "I swear, we're running a circus here."

I growled, and as soon as my hands were free, I tackled Arianna to the ground, my hands around her throat.

"What the hell did you think you were doing, back at the Coliseum!" I yelled, and several of my companions grabbed me and pulled me off, and Arianna stood up and started brushing herself off, looking irritated.

"I swear! I thought you knew me better than that." said Arianna, giving me an irritable look, "One of my...cronies...has been making 'clones' of me. Of course, they are only clones as in they look like me, for the most part, and each one has one of my hidden personality traits."

"So that wasn't you?" asked Erik, "It was a...clone?"

"Yes." said a voice, and I saw Darius, followed by Nick, Soma and a red-haired Vampire, "The particular cronie has been trying to turn me against Arianna.

"Well, well, well." I heard a deep purring male voice say, and I saw Arianna's face...soften, "What have we here, _ma amour?_ I thought you didn't approve of all of the slaves I take in?"

"These are some of the other people who are competing to gain the Keyblade." replied Arianna with a smile as Rabere wrapped his arms around her waist.

_What the hell is going on?_

"Ahhh." said Rabere, then he looked at us, seeming to be evaluating, "I'm Rabere Inej Derkesthai. You've already met my sister Racil, I see."

"Yes." replied Ceil after we had all introduced ourselves, "We have...met her. She's...interesting..."

"Well," said the red-haired vampire, who had introduced himself as Vivus, "You lot can come with me. You are going to be added to the security force..."

"I'll join you in a little while." said Arianna, and she then pulled away from Rabere and walked away somewhere.

¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿? Erik, Later, Training Grounds...

We were done being trained to death by Vivus, and now we were all sitting around talking.

"So, what do you think about the Lycanthropes' rules?" asked Darius, "Silly, I think."

"I can understand why they have them, though." I said, frowning slightly, "I mean, just think about it."

I saw that not only were Darius, Soma, Vivus and Nick now frowning, but so was Aki.

"But they are basically just people who can turn into animals. Fuzzy people." said a voice, and we turned to see Arianna walking towards us, "But you are all going to say that we have no right to interfere, correct?"

"Yes." replied Peter firmly.

"Wrong." said Vivus, and we all looked at him, "Worlds change naturally anyway, civilizations change and die frequently. The lycanthropes haven't changed for five thousand years."

"There are a certain type of 'Heartless' that inhabit the Lycanthropes regions," began Arianna, and she handed us each a small pile of drawings, "They secrete a pollen that changes the mind sets of all who come into contact. But, someone has to tell the 'Heartless' what to make people think. Its not me, or any of my people who are doing it, so its someone from the other group. Now, as for the water-dwelling Lycanthropes, they're affected by a liquid secreted from wyrm-like 'Heartless'."

"Hey! We saw one of these near that island prison!" said Aki, pointing at the Wyrm.

"They're docile, unless messed with. Like some bees." said Vivus, "They're really hard to kill."

"So, the Heartless are to blame for these weird-ass rules?" asked Kage.

"And therefore for the slaughter of all mixed-specie couples and all of their children." said Arianna, and we stared at her.

¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿? Aki

"So, what's up, Ari?" I asked, looking at Ari, "Are you okay, you're more pale than usual..."

Ari grabbed me and pulled me off to the side, "Lets go for a walk, I'll fill you in on the way."

"On the way where? Ari?" I started asking, but Ari was already walking, so I had to run to catch up with her, "What's up?"

"I'm...uhm..." Arianna's face turned red, but she also looked like she was trying to decide between two different things to say, "Erm. Well, good news first. I'm...in...love."

I felt my jaw drop as I stopped walking, and I stared at her for a moment, before asking, "With whom?"

"Uhm..." Arianna's face turned even brighter red, "Well, you met him earlier... I'm in...love with...Rabere."

"Oh my God." I said as we started walking again, I couldn't believe it, but I could also tell she was dead serious, and telling the truth. Completely...though, something seemed off, and I had a feeling it was un-related to the next news, "And the bad news...?" I asked, wondering what could be so bad if she was in love.

"I'm...dying." replied Arianna, and I stopped again to stare at her.

"What!" I yelled, and she winced.

"Remember my 'former' illness? Tuberculosis? Or consumption. Whatever people call it?" she asked, and I nodded dumbly, "Well, apparently there is something 'wrong' with my blood, so I didn't stay a Vampire for very long."

"How long have you know? Does Rabere know? Does Darius know?" I asked.

"I've known since this morning." replied Arianna, "I started coughing, and fainted, and one of the maids found me laying unconscious in one of the corridors. And, no, Rabere and Darius do not know."

I was about to say something more, but Arianna had just led me into a gorgeous spring.

"These are the last faeries in this world." said Arianna, sitting on the edge of the rainbow-colored spring, "The Lycanthropes killed the rest a long time ago. The blood of faeries was used in useless rituals to enhance strength, and such things. The Vampire third of Dauthrmir is the last place with faeries, now."

"But how could they..." I trailed off.

"Kill something so beautiful?" supplied a male voice, and I turned to see Arianna's...crush, walk out of the trees, "I asked Arianna the same question a few weeks ago, when I first brought her here, since she was killing beautiful things by having the Heartless destroy worlds."

"I can't believe how much Arianna's...changed." I said, looking from one of them to the other, and I noticed Arianna had a cluster of black and red faeries flying around her.

"Oh?" asked Rabere, coming to stand next to me, "That is what Darius and those friends of his said to me a few days ago... Just they said they couldn't believe how much _I_ had changed her, which confused me more."

"I need to be getting back ho- to the castle." said Arianna, standing up, and she walked towards us, a green faerie following her, and I noticed Arianna wouldn't look at either of us in the eyes, "I need to wash up before dinner..."

Without another word, she walked between us, without so much of a glance at either of us, and I saw Rabere's mouth twitch into a frown.

"Why is she so upset today?" asked Rabere, looking at me, correctly guessing that I knew.

"Well..." I sighed, and I sat down on a boulder, and looked at the white grass, and motioned for Rabere to sit as well, "Naomi originally made her a Vampire so she wouldn't die, because Arianna had consumption. As you know, by becoming a Vampire, Arianna was cured of it. But...there is something in her blood that kept her from staying a Vampire, and she is mortal again, and she's...dying. She still has her sickness."

"_What?_" asked Rabere, looking up, obviously shocked, "I didn't know that that was why Naomi had made _ma amour_ a Vampire. But you say...she's mortal again and...dying?"

"Yes." I replied with a sigh, "She's had this illness since she was a child, apparently, so she doesn't have much longer to live, I'd say. Maybe two weeks at the most."

"I must go speak with her." said Rabere, standing up, "I'll show you the way back to the castle."

¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿? Arianna

I looked at my reflection in the mirror, and I brushed my now-back-to-brown bangs out of my eyes with a sigh. I had my hair up in several buns, with a couple of ringlets hanging down around my shoulders, and sighed, and looked at my dress. Unlike the ones I had been wearing for the duration of my stay, this one had and open neck, so my neck was exposed, as well as part of my chest.

I was searching for a choker, or necklace to wear so that I wouldn't feel so exposed, when there was a knock on the door in the other room.

"Arianna?" I heard Rabere say, as the other door creaked open.

"I'm in here." I called, and then I sighed, and started rummaging around again.

"Yuichi told me." said Rabere, and my eyes snapped up to his reflection in the mirror, "Why didn't you tell me?"

"I wasn't...sure how to tell you or Darius." I replied after a moment, as Rabere sat down, and wrapped his arms around me, and rest his head on my shoulder, and I glanced away - that wasn't all that was bothering me.

"Maybe you wont have to tell him." Rabere whispered against my neck as he drew a finger down my throat, "He doesn't ever have to know. I can make you Immortal without turning you."

"What?" I started, turning to look at him, and not sure what to think of the rather intense look in his eyes, then I thought of what he might be thinking, but...

"Of course," he said, looking away, "If you prefer to live out the rest of your prescribed mortal life, and die in a couple of weeks...if not sooner..."

"I couldn't do that to you." I said, looking away from him, "I _don't_ want to do that to you, I don't want to leave you."

"What?" asked Rabere, and he touched my chin, making me look at him.

"I...love you." I said, "I don't want to leave you." I repeated, and I could tell I had startled him.

"Arianna..." he trailed off, then pulled me against his chest, and said, "I love you too.

"I can give you the Four Marks, and make you Immortal...if you wish. I'll only do it for you."

I thought that was what he'd been thinking.

The "Four Marks" as he had said, was also called making a "mortal' (non-vampire servant, or more commonly called, human servant. It was almost the same as being a Vampire really, immunity to sickness, Immortality, unless killed,

Immortality. It was something I had dreamed of ever since I was a little girl...but at this point...it wouldn't have been a good idea. Not a good idea at all.

"I...I'll have to think about it." I said with a small sigh, and then before he could say anything I opened a portal through darkness, and transported myself out of the castle, but not to a different world, seeing as here, I couldn't do that.

In one of the forests I sat down on a log with a sigh, happy to be back to wearing proper clothes, instead of a dress, and I rested my elbows on my knees, and rested my forehead against my fists, and sighed heavily.

"What's wrong, dear?" asked Corellyn, and I glanced up at her with a nasty expression, that was more normal for me now days, "I thought you would have leapt at the opportunity."

"Its not the right time." I replied, standing up, my white leather trench coat settling into place, "I...need to ask a favor of you, Corellyn, since you are such a powerful mage."

Corellyn looked appropriately shocked for a moment, then she covered it up carefully.

"What is it you would have me do?" asked Corellyn.

"I need you to give me something to knock-off the symptoms of the disease for a few weeks." I replied, "In exchange...I might be willing to do you that thing you once asked of me. It all depends on how well your enchantment works."

She immediately looked eager, and grinned, showing teeth. She waved her hands about, and then waved them in my direction, and I felt her magic sink into my skin, and then with a grin, she sat on a chair she conjured for herself.

"I have a question." said Corellyn, looking at me as if I were some interesting experiment, "What are you going to do with those silly villagers of Hollow Bastion - I mean - Radiant Garden?"

"They will serve their purpose for opening Kingdom Hearts." I replied, looking at her, "You haven't begun to doubt my intentions, have you, Corellyn Jorir Synith?"

"Well, I've been observing the way you have been acting around that silly blood-sucker, and I've heard some of the things you've said." replied Corellyn, slowly, "It sounded like he had convinced you to give up."

"I can't quit." I replied softly, glancing out through the trees, "I just...can't."

"Hmm, you're keeping something away from us all, aren't you, child?" asked Corellyn, and I glanced at her, and I sighed, "Well, I won't push. I don't want to make you mad at me at the moment."

With that Corellyn disappeared and I sighed, and leaned back against the trees, and watched as one of the Wyrms came gliding through the trees.

"You have all been causing trouble, haven't you?" I asked the Nobody as it wove its way past me, "Such a pity."

¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿? Aki

"Where is Ari?" asked Darius, looking around the large living room area most of us were in.

"I don't know, I didn't see her at dinner." replied Kage, shrugging, "She's been acting kinda weird."

"You mean more so than usual?" muttered Nick.

"I heard that." said a voice, and we turned around to see Arianna, wearing predominately white, "I didn't feel like being around all of you saps for an hour or longer."

I frowned deeply - what was with the sudden mood swing? Something was wrong. I think Darius and Rabere agreed with those thoughts.

"You've seen Corellyn." said a voice, and we all spotted Xander, and Arianna gave him a rather nasty look, "I thought your evil-doing days were over. What did she do to you?"

"Do to _me_?" Ariana asked, and then she laughed, an eerie sound, "Some things..." Arianna paused, and looked away from us all, and I saw her expression was sad, "Just...can't be given up, its to...dangerous."

"What do you mean by that!" demanded Rabere, and Arianna looked at him, and we could all see how upset she really was, "Ari?"

"I...am not...at liberty to discuss such matters." replied Arianna, and she turned on her heel, regaining her composure, "Be careful of the Wyrms, they are growing bored."

With that, she walked out of the room, and we all just exchanged looks, while Rabere, Xander, Naomi and Vivus walked out and went somewhere.

"What was _that_ all about?" asked Ceil, crossing her arms, "There's something weird going on."

"I agree." said Erik, "The Vampires have been acting oddly, and Arianna has been..."

"Depressed, heartless?" suggested Darius, and then he suddenly frowned, "Heartless... She's been acting heartless for weeks."

"More like years." I said, and they looked at me.

"I think we need to deal with the lycanthrope problem as soon as the others get here." said Peter, after a long silence, "I looked at the statistics of those Wyrms - Arianna is right, they are _tough_."

"Its settled, then." said Nick, "We rest as much as we can, stock up on anything we may need for the fights ahead, and train."

"We should study the information we have, as well." said Erik, "There may be a shortcut of some sort."

We all agreed, and then said out goodnights, and all went of to bed, each of us with some sort of book to study.

I immediately locked my door, and the looked at the title of my book, "A History of Organizations and Sects Related to the Heartless and Nobodies".

Nobodies? The term rang a bell.

I opened the book, and began reading.

_'Nobodies. A type of creature made when the heart of a strong person is stolen. The Nobodies, unlike the Heartless, their counterpart, do not act on instinct, and actually plan. They are considerably the more worthy adversary to any do-gooder, and are not as easy to control as the Heartless._

_'Nobodies can be easily recognized by their paler coloration, and the different mark that can always be found somewhere upon their body._

_'The only known people to be associated with the Nobodies, are the strongest _of_ the Nobodies. These being people who didn't change form when their heart was stolen. They still resemble normal people, but have no hearts, but know all too well how to injure one._

_'These people are known as Organization XIII._

_'They have been around for approximately five hundred years, and are exceptionally powerful and cunning._

_'For a long time, it was believe that Organization had been vanquished, but that was not the case. They continued living, because they had no hearts. Without a heart, they couldn't die, no matter how much they might have wanted to._

_'The only known way for a Nobody to find it's own heart is to open Kingdom Hearts, though, it has been rumored that the wielder of a special type of Keyblade can store hearts in the Keyblade itself, and restore them._

_'However, this theory is unproven, and unlikely to be true._

_'Most Organization members can be recognized by their distinct black leather, hooded trench coats, or their usually empty demeanor._

_A List of Organization Members from the Time of the Great Keybearer Sora_

_I. Xemnas, also known as Xehanort, whose Heartless form assumed the name of Ansem._

_II. Xigbar_

_III. Xaldin_

_IV. Vexen_

_V. Lexaenus_

_VI. Zexion_

_VII. Saix_

_VIII. Axel_

_IX. Demyx_

_X. Luxord_

_XI. Marluxia_

_XII. Larxene_

_XIII. Roxas, the Nobody of Sora'_

"What?" I muttered, turning the page, and then I scowled when I saw there was no more to the book - the pages had been ripped out.

I wanted to show all of them this, but it would have to wait. It was late...

¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?


	8. Test Eight: Royal Wyrm

¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?

Quest for the Keyblade

Test Eight: Royal Wyrm

¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿? No one's POV

The scenery was beautiful. The ground was covered in a bright green moss, and the trees were tall and covered in vines, and brightly colored flowers bloomed everywhere. There were small streams winding through the forest floor in many places, and there were tropical birds, and many other colorful and interesting animals scattered throughout the forest.

Beautiful as the forest was, it was sweltering hot. The tree canopy provided some shade from the extremely bright sun, but the air was humid, and the temperature was close to, if not over, a hundred degrees.

The third group's Gummi Ship had crashed into the desert outside of the forest, and once they had gotten up on a sand dune, away from the ship, the Gummi Ship had sunk into the quicksand.

And so now, Ryu, Jean, Amber, Drake and Kat were all tromping through the oven of a forest, looking for anyone who might be able to help them in some way.

"Okay, so, even if we find someone, how do we know they'll even help us?" Ryu asked after a long while of walking, "Remember the people from the Destiny Islands?"

"Its worth a try." Kat replied tartly, "We saw the size of this world on the approach, the others could have crashed anywhere!"

"Did you guys notice anything odd when we were at the Coliseum?" Drake asked as he followed the others, wiping sweat off of his brow.

"Like what? Beside Arianna going crazy and Xeuxis being as extremely weird as ever?" Jean asked.

"We're supposed to be scored for how we do in each world." Drake replied, "Zeuxis did not announce our scores."

"And they weren't posted..." Amber frowned slightly, "There _has_ been something fishy about all of this - ever since the beginning."

They all fell into silence again; brooding as they walked through the forest, that seemed to be getting hotter and hotter, which must have meant it was around noon.

The group of possible Keybearers walked for hours, until the sky was dim, and spotted with stars, before they found a cave to take shelter in.

Relieved to get out of the heat, they walked into the cave, which was much cooler, and they turned on a couple of flashlights, and came face-to-face with a large tiger.

"Don't panic." a gruff male voice said, and a man with tanned skin, orange eyes, and shaggy orange hair walked towards them, and the tiger laid down, "Judging by your clothes and your smell you are not from this world."

"Uh...who're you?" Kat asked, not knowing really knowing what to say.

"Amakiir Meshnal." the man replied, "This is Miaka. You are in the Weretiger country of the world Dauthrmir."

The group was about to introduce themselves, when a werewolf ran in, in wolf-woman form, and quickly changed into woman form.

"Amakiir, we have a problem." the woman snapped, "The traitors have been rescued by the Vampires!"

"Racil." Amakiir said, nodding to the woman who had short red and black hair, "Is our elder brother behind this?"

"Of course he is!" Racil snapped, "He got some silly mortal-creatures to capture them!"

"Racil, we have guests." Amakiir said coolly, and Racil paused, her mouth open, "Friends, this is my younger sister, Racil Ingals."

The groups introduced themselves.

"So, what kinda traitors?" Amber asked, curious.

"A weretiger male and a werewolf female," Racil replied, irritably, "Were wed when they know its against our laws to..._cross-breed._ They were scheduled for a trial."

"So, what're you doing to get them back?" Ryu asked, crossing his arms.

Racil scowled, and instead of answering, turned to her brother.

"We can't go to the Vampire lands, our brother will know what we are there for." Amakiir said, "And the only non-vampire and non-lycanthropes here are the ones he has at his castle, and you five."

"Maybe we can help." Drake supplied, and everyone looked at him, "If you could transport us to the Vampire lands, undercover or as ambassadors, I'm sure we could figure out something, time the guard changes, and things like that."

Racil and Amakiir looked at each other, than agreed, and Amakiir threw a green powder of them, and suddenly they found themselves in a much cooler, currently refreshing, climate.

They were at what looked like a large temple made out of pitch-black marble, and the temple was a stark contrast with the pale terrain. Perched on a slab of stone, was Arianna, who had her knees drawn up, her arms around her calves, and her chin resting on top of her knees as she stared off into the distance with such a sad expression in her eyes that one would have thought that someone had burned all of her stuffed animals, and then stolen away her friends and her brother. Arianna's twelve feathered wings were out, but they drooped.

"Arianna?" Jean asked, surprised by the expression on Arianna's face - this was much different than the Arianna from the Coliseum."

"Before you ask, that was not me at the Coliseum." Arianna replied, her voice soft, "If you head north from here, you'll find the others at the palace. I would...like to be alone right now."

Four of the five exchanged confused glances, but Drake was already finding his way towards the palace, and the others followed.

¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿? Elsewhere...

"Excellent!" Corellyn cried, raising her staff into the air with her delight, "I do not think that Arianna will be much of a problem when then Wyrms come!"

A man in a vivid green suit came to stand by Corellyn, and looked into the scrying pool as well.

"What have you done?" Androm asked curiously, swiping his blonde hair out of his green, pupil-less eyes, "She looks so sad."

"She is a Nobody! She has no feelings like that, or that's the theory." Corellyn replied, "Her heart has been split in three since she was six. She not only leads a group of Heartless users, but she is part of her great-great grandfather's Organization."

"But you said that her ancestor was Ansem the Wise." Androm said, frowning, looking at Corellyn, "The leader of Organization XIII was Xemnas, also known as Xehanort, who was Ansem's apprentice."

"The Ansem that Sora and the Keyblade brats destroyed was Xehanort's Heartless. Xehanort had simply taken that name upon himself as a tact to cause as much chaos as he could. Xemnas was Xehanort's Nobody. Years after he was destroyed, he was revived, and his heart returned to him. That is how Arianna and Darius' lines began."

Androm frowned slightly. The villains of old loved to make things so...complicated!

"And she now know what she is?" Androm asked, and Corellyn nodded excitedly, "And what about the illness you induced onto her and her brother? What was the purpose of that?"

"Oh, their soul mates just love to save damsels in distress." Corellyn snorted, "Darius' soul mate would do more harm than good to Darius in Darius' current state, and well, Arianna has met hers, and now look! She thought herself to be in love, and now she knows herself to be a Nobody!"

Corellyn began to cackle, and Androm bowed, and left the room.

¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿? The Vampiric Lands

"Hey!" Aki spotted the approaching group, and came running towards the others, "Have you seen Ari?"

"She's...brooding." Drake said, "She is very sad. She said she wanted to be alone."

"So, why are you guys messing with this world?" Jean demanded, her hands on her hips.

"Arianna discovered that the reason for the Lycanthropes rules is because of Wyrm Heartless." Darius replied, "Apparently the lycanthropes haven't changed in anyway for five thousand years, and its all because of something that the Wyrms secrete - under the orders of someone."

"We kill the King and/or Queen Wyrm, we kill them all." Nick said, "Supposedly the ruler Wyrm is in the ocean just south of here."

"There is...something that you all should know." a voice said, and everyone turned around to see Arianna, wearing a long black leather, hooded trench coat that they had seen in the diagrams of Aki's book, "The Wyrms aren't a type of Heartless. They are Nobodies, the equivalent of a Behemoth - if its a normal Wyrm. The Royal Wyrms are likely to be most like the large Heartless we encountered in the Destiny Islands."

"Ari...?" Aki asked, frowning, examining the coat, "What are you wearing?"

"I see that...you've read one of my books." Arianna said, and she turned her back on the others, "Then my help will be unappreciated... After all, it is still believed that Nobodies do not have...emotions." Arianna's voice was soft, and even those who didn't know her as well as Darius or Aki did, they could tell she was most likely crying, "Simply be warned that the Royal Wyrm is a powerful foe, and very, very intelligent."

"A...Nobody?" a male voice said, and Aki turned to see Rabere had arrived at some point, and looked shocked, "Arianna?"

Rabere moved as if to approach Arianna, but she suddenly disappeared through a black portal that quickly closed behind her.

"You poor, poor creatures." a voice said, and Corellyn appeared, "Arianna's heart is split in three, and a piece is hidden three of you. A simple Revelum spell can reveal a crest on the underside of the wrist to show who is the carrier. The problem will be tracking down Arianna. She's in the belief you all will want nothing to do with her now... The only one of you who has known her as a normal creature is dear, _dear_ Darius. She has been a Nobody since the age of six." As quickly as she had appeared, Corellyn disappeared.

"We've got to deal with the Wyrm." Soma said firmly, "And then you guys can try to find and help Ari."

It was agreed, and they moved towards the south and the Nobody.

Three hours of walking later, they were at the shore, and a large pale red-orange crested head flew out of the water, showing white body scales, and pale orange spiked around the feet. It was much like the drawings of Chinese dragons, but the wings were like a dragonfly's, and were pale, warm colors like a sunset. On its chest was a silver emblem.

"Thundaga!" Aki yelled, already angered by Corellyn's appearance, and the lightening hit the Wyrm straight in the skull, but did little but make it mad.

Those who could use magic bombarded the Wyrm constantly with Thundaga spells, while the warriors hacked at the remarkably soft scales.

The battle seemed to last hours, when suddenly the creature cried out in pain, and it's head crashed into the ground, Arianna on top of its cranium, a weapon in each had, shaped like elongated Nobody symbols.

"Let me guess." Ryu began, "Only special weapons can kill it?"

"One with clashing elemental strikes." Arianna replied as the Nobody vanished underneath her, "Fire and ice, in my case."

"What made you come back?" Kat asked, curious.

"I've been...running away for all of my life." Arianna replied finally, "I never even really wanted my heart back, because I couldn't remember what it even felt like to have one. And then...I was reminded, and I will leave it at that."

Suddenly, there was a flash of light, and they were all in a Gummi Ship.

"Beam me up, Scotty." Darius said sarcastically.

Most of the trip was very silent, and they were soon back at Olympus Coliseum.

"Well!" Zeuxis snapped, a green-suited man by his side, "Took your precious time, didn't you?"

"Shut it." Arianna snapped, giving him a nasty look, "Who's your...friend?"

"I am Androm." the man replied with a slight bow, "I have come to see how these tests proceed."

"Hmph." Arianna muttered, and she stalked past the two suited men, and waved a hand, and three Samurai and three Neoshadows appeared, and surrounded the two men, "My little friends will be observing your every move. If you so much show any suspicious behavior, they will summon more powerful kin and destroy you." With that, Arianna disappeared through a door that led to her rooms.

"We should try to figure out who would have shards of her heart." Darius said, "According to the books, they'll be in someone deeply connected with her. So that would most likely be me, Aki and...Who?"

"Me." a familiar voice said, and they all turned, surprised, to see Rabere appear, but not out of a portal.

"Uh...okay..." Darius muttered, "Anyway, should we go ahead and try?"

"I think it might be best to wait." Nightmare said, appearing, "She's been planning something, and she says the only reason that she hasn't sought out her heart is because she needs to be a Nobody to successfully carry out her plan."

"What do you know?" Nick snapped, glaring at Nightmare, "What could be so important?"

No one could think of a answer for that, and they all decided to leave their thoughts for later and get some well-earned food and rest.

¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?


End file.
